4:17

On the rocky ground, the seeds become plants. But they cannot develop good roots in the rocky soil. Then the heat of the sun causes these plants to die. This is like people who accept the word of God, but they do not give the word a chance to take root in them. When they have trouble or when people persecute them, they stop obeying the word.

4:17a–b

But: There is a contrast between what one would expect of a person who received the word with joy (4:16b) and what actually happens (4:17). These people did not continue to grow as believers. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But. Introduce this contrast in the way that is natural in your language.

they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season: A literal translation of the Greek text is: “they have no root in themselves, but are temporary.” The plants are temporary, or only live for a short time, because they have no root.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they have no roots; that is why they last only a short time
-or-
they have no root, so they do not last for a long time
-or-
they live only for a little while because they have no root

they themselves have no root: The phrase they themselves have no root is a metaphor. The people who had received the word with joy were like plants without roots. They were not stable or firm because they did not believe God’s word enough to endure trouble. In some languages it may be necessary to translate this as a simile:

they are like plants with no root

Another possibility is to translate some of the meaning of the metaphor. For example:

the word had not taken deep root within them
-or-
they do not let God’s word grow deep in their hearts/minds

The phrase they themselves have no root is also a hyperbole. It emphasizes that they did not have enough roots. See the note on 4:6b.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they have no deep roots
-or-
they have only a shallow root

they remain for only a season: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as remain for only a season means “are temporary.” It refers to the fact that the person who is like a plant on rocky soil accepts the message foronly a season.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

stay that way only a short time
-or-
quickly change their mind
-or-
do not endure (NET Bible)
-or-
accept it only for a short time

4:17c

trouble or persecution comes because of the word: In some languages, it may be natural to change the order of some of the parts of this verse. For example:

the word causes them trouble and persecution
-or-
on account of the word, they encounter trouble or persecution
-or-
Because they receive the word, they have difficulties and are persecuted

trouble or persecution comes: The word trouble is a general word that refers to difficulties of all kinds. The word persecution refers to someone deliberately harming someone else because of who they are or what they believe.

You may need a different verb than comes to refer to trouble or persecution happening to someone.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

When suffering and oppression happen to them
-or-
When they have difficulties and people do evil to them
-or-
When they have trouble or people persecute/oppress/harm them

because of the word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because of the word here means “because they received the word.” Trouble and persecution came because these people heard and accepted the word of God. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

When trouble or persecution comes because they accepted/welcomed the word

4:17d

they quickly fall away: The phrase fall away is an idiom. In this context it means that these people stop believing the message and turn away from God. This happens quickly or immediately.

Here are some other ways to translate this idiom:

they immediately stop believing/obeying God’s message
-or-
they immediately turn away from the message
-or-
they give up at once (Good News Bible)
-or-
they quickly lose faith (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 4:17a–d

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

17aBut they lack roots, 17cso when trouble arrives or people cause them hardship because they believed the word of God, 17bthey do not continue to believe. 17dRather they immediately turn away from their faith.

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