20:35a–b
But those who are considered worthy: The phrase those who are considered worthy contrasts with the “sons/people of this age” in 20:34. Express the contrast in a natural way in your language. Another way to do this is:
As for those who are considered worthy
This phrase applies in general to anyone and everyone who is considered worthy. Some other ways to translate it are:
Anyone who is considered worthy
-or-
If a person is considered worthy
Since this verse tells what such people will not do, the Contemporary English Version has:
no one who is worthy (Contemporary English Version)
Translate the phrase in a natural way in your language.
those who are considered worthy: The phrase those who are considered worthy refers here to people whom God regards as worthy to live in the coming age. They are the people who were righteous during their life on earth.
The verb are considered worthy is passive. Some ways to translate it are:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
those who are regarded as worthy (NET Bible)
• Use an active verb and supply God as the subject. For example:
those whom God considers worthy
• Focus on the meaning worthy and leave the meaning considered implied. For example:
those who will be worthy (New Century Version)
Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.
to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to share means “to experience, attain.” This is a general meaning that can be translated in different ways in various contexts. The word gets its specific meaning from the context where it occurs. Some ways to translate it here are:
worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead (NET Bible)
-or-
worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead
In some languages the meaning to share in is implied in the context and does not need to be translated explicitly. For example:
worthy to rise from death and live in the age to come (Good News Translation)
-or-
worthy to come back to life and live in the next world (God’s Word)
in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead: In this context the phrases the age to come and the resurrection from the dead have a similar meaning. The phrase the age refers to the future time that the Sadducees called “in the resurrection” at 20:33. People will rise from the dead and live in the new age. That new age is sometimes identified as heaven.
In some languages it may be helpful to reverse the order of the phrases the age to come and the resurrection from the dead. For example:
worthy to be made alive again from the dead and to live in heaven
-or-
worthy of being raised from the dead and living in heaven
the age to come: The phrase the age to come is in contrast to “this age,” or this present world, mentioned in 20:34. The same Greek word for age is used in both 20:34 and 20:35. Use a natural way in your language to make the contrast clear.
20:35c
will neither marry nor be given in marriage: The people, both men and women, whom God causes to live again, will not marry. No one in that age will get married, and no one will continue to be the husband or wife of the person they were married to on this earth. See how you translated the similar phrase “marry and are given in marriage” in 20:34. Some ways to translate this phrase are:
will not then marry (Good News Translation)
-or-
do not marry (New Jerusalem Bible)
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