22:29a–b

In Greek the order of words in this verse is more literally “And I confer on you, just as my Father conferred on me, a kingdom.” The Father conferred a kingdom on Jesus, and then Jesus conferred one on his disciples. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of words in this verse. See the General Comment on 22:29a–b below for an example.

And I: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And I introduces what Jesus will do for his apostles because they have been faithful to him through his trials (22:28). Some other ways to introduce his statement in English are:

So (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
And I, in turn/response

Introduce this statement in a natural way in your language. In some languages a conjunction is not necessary.

I bestow on you a kingdom: The clause I bestow on you a kingdom indicates here that Jesus was giving his apostles authority to rule people. The context in 22:30 shows that his apostles will sit at his table, and they will rule the twelve tribes of Israel. They will use their authority in the kingdom that God has given to Jesus. Jesus did not imply that he was giving the apostles a different kingdom from the one that the Father had given him.

Some ways to translate this are:

I will give you the right to rule as kings (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I appoint/assign you to rule ⌊over people⌋
-or-
I give you power/authority to rule

bestow: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bestow means “to give [someone] a right or authority.” This word is often used when someone makes a covenant/agreement with another person. Jesus implied here that he was officially giving his apostles authority. See the preceding note for translation examples.

kingdom: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as kingdom refers here to the authority to rule people. Some ways to translate this are:

kingly authority
-or-
the authority to rule ⌊people⌋

just as: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as just as connects what Jesus was doing for the apostles to what his Father had done for him. It implies that Jesus and his Father God acted in a similar way in 22:29a–b. God gave Jesus authority to rule, and then Jesus also gave his apostles authority to rule. In this context the conjunction focuses on the similar action that God and Jesus did. It does not focus especially on the manner or way of doing this action.

Some other ways to translate this connection are:

like…so also
-or-
as (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
since

See also the examples in the General Comment on 22:29a–b below. Translate the connection in a natural way in your language.

My Father has bestowed one on Me: The word one refers back to the phrase “a kingdom.” As earlier in 22:29b, it refers to authority. Here, Jesus indicated that God had given him authority to rule. Jesus was not referring to two different kingdoms in this verse. He was referring to the authority that God gave him and that he will share with his disciples.

My Father: Here Jesus referred to God as his Father. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

My Father God

General Comment on 22:29a–b

In some languages it may be helpful to reverse the order of words in this verse. For example:

29band just as my Father has given me the right to rule, 29aso I will give you 29bthe same right. (Good News Translation)
-or-

29bGod my Father gave me authority to rule. 29aNow I also give you 29bauthority to rule.

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