4:35–38

These verses contain an extended metaphor. Jesus was talking about crops and harvest time. However, he wanted his listeners to understand that he was referring to a spiritual harvest. The spiritual harvest was people who were ready to believe in him. The people were like a field at harvest time.

The point of comparison is that the wait for the harvest is over. The people are ready now to believe and enter the kingdom of God. They are like a field that is ready to be harvested. In some languages this metaphor may not be clearly understood. It may be necessary to translate it as a simile and maybe indicate some of the meaning. See the examples in the Display.

4:35a

Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus knew that this was what people said. They already understood that first you plant and then four months later you reap a harvest (cut the grain). But Jesus wanted the people to think in a different way. He then introduced a new idea.

There are at least two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• Use a rhetorical question:

Don’t you say, ‘There are four more months and then comes the harvest?’ (NET Bible)
-or-
Is it not true that you say that there are still four months and then it is time to harvest?

• Use a statement. For example:

You may say that there are still four months until harvest time. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
There is your saying which says, ‘There are still four months, and then harvest time will arrive.’

Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is most natural in your language.

Do you not say: The pronoun you is plural. It refers to either the disciples or to people in general. What they said was probably a common saying that people in general said. But the disciples probably said it as well.

General Comment on 4:35a

This sentence contains a quotation inside a quotation. First there is the quotation of what Jesus said. Then Jesus quoted something the disciples or people in general said. This inner quotation was probably a common saying or proverb. You may want to make this explicit. For example:

Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? (New International Version)

In some languages it may be natural to translate the inner direct quotation as an indirect quotation. For example:

You say that harvest time is still four months from now.

4:35b–c

Here is where the metaphor really begins. (See the Note above on 4:35–38.) To help your readers understand the extended metaphor, see the examples in the Display. Also, here are two other ways to begin this metaphor:

But I tell you to look, and you will see that the fields are already ripe and ready to harvest. ⌊The people who are coming are like those fields. They are ready to believe in me.⌋
-or-
Look at ⌊the people who are coming⌋ here. ⌊You can compare them to⌋ crops that are ripe and ready to be harvested….

4:35b

I tell you: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I tell you is more literally “See I say to you.” (The New Revised Standard Version and other translations use “But” because there is a contrast with the saying that Jesus mentioned in 4:35a.) Jesus was telling his listeners that it was important to concentrate on what he would say next. For example:

Look, I tell you (English Standard Version)
-or-
Listen carefully

you: This pronoun is plural and refers to all the disciples.

lift up your eyes and look at the fields: The Greek clause the Berean Standard Bible translates as lift up your eyes is a figurative way to say “understand this” or “become aware.” It is another way to emphasize that the disciples should pay attention. In some languages it is more natural to say “open your eyes” or “look up.” For example:

look up and see (NET Bible)
-or-
open your eyes and look (New International Version)
-or-
take a good look at the fields (Good News Translation)

fields: Use a word for fields that refers to fields where grain grows. The grain could be barley or wheat, or whatever grain is common in your area.

4:35c

for they are ripe for harvest: This clause is a metaphor. The people coming to Jesus were like fields or crops at harvest time. The people were ready to believe in Jesus like crops are ready to be harvested when they are ripe. In some languages a metaphor like this is not clearly understood. It may be necessary to suggest the meaning. For example:

see how the ⌊people are like⌋ fields of grain, ready for the harvest
-or-
look at the ⌊true/spiritual⌋ harvest! It is ready now!
-or-
look at these ⌊many people. They are like⌋ plants that are ready to be harvested ⌊because now is the time for them to believe in me⌋ .

ripe: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ripe is more literally “white.” It refers to the color of the grain fields when the grain is ready to be harvested. It may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

they are white and ready for harvest (TLV)

Perhaps the grain in your area is “yellow” or another color when it is ripe. If that is true, you may use that other color instead of “white.”

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