18:30a
will fail to receive: See the note on 18:29b–30a for translation suggestions.
many times more: The phrase many times more implies a comparison. Jesus compared the reward the disciples will receive to what they left behind. The phrase indicates that what they will receive was far more valuable and greater than what they gave up to follow him. In some languages it may be necessary to make the comparison more explicit. For example:
many times as much ⌊as he left⌋
-or-
very much more ⌊than he gave up⌋
in this age: The phrase in this age is literally “in this time.” It refers to the present time while people are living on earth. Other ways to say it are:
in this life (New Century Version)
-or-
in this present life (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
18:30b
and in the age to come, eternal life: The phrase in the age to come refers to the time after a person has finished living on earth. The phrase eternal life was also used in 18:18, where the ruler asked Jesus what he should do to receive it. Here Jesus assured the disciples that people who left what they had for the sake of God’s kingdom will receive eternal life. After they die, they will live forever with God.
This is the final clause of a long sentence. In some languages it may be best to repeat the subject and verb of the clause. For example:
And in the future world they will have eternal life. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
And in the age that is coming, they will have life forever. (New Century Version)
-or-
They will also live forever with God after they die.
General Comments on 18:29–30
In these verses Jesus spoke about the people who left home and family for him. He used third person forms: “he, she, the one(s), anyone/everyone.” Peter and the other disciples were some of the people whom Jesus was talking about. So in some languages it may be more natural to use “you(plur)” in these verses. For example:
Jesus said to the disciples, “I tell you(plur) the truth, none of you(plur) who have left home, wives, brothers, parents, or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come you(plur) will receive eternal life.”
In some languages it may be more natural to use more than one sentence. For example:
Jesus said to the disciples, “I tell you(plur) the truth, some of you(plur) have left your homes. Some have left wives, brothers, parents, or children. Anyone who has done this for the sake of the kingdom of God will certainly receive many times as much in this age. Then in the age to come you(plur) will receive eternal life.”
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