4:24a

He went on to say: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He went on to say is literally “And he said to them” (as in the Revised Standard Version). This phrase shows that Jesus began a new topic. The Good News Bible has another way to say this:

He also said to them

The Greek places this phrase at the beginning of 4:24a, as the Berean Standard Bible reflects. Some other translations may place this phrase in the middle or at the end of what Jesus said. Place this phrase where it is natural in your language.

Pay attention: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pay attention is literally “look.” Here it means “give attention to.”

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Think carefully about (New Century Version)
-or-
Consider carefully (New International Version, 2011 edition)
-or-
Be diligent to understand

what you hear: The expression what you hear probably refers to Jesus’ teaching. It also can refer generally to things people say. Your translation should allow for that meaning. For example:

everything that you hear

4:24b

With the measure you use, it will be measured to you: This was likely a Jewish proverb commonly used in Jesus’ time. Literally the proverb refers to any type of instrument that is used to measure the volume or weight of things that are sold in the marketplace.

In the context of selling things, this proverb has several meanings. One meaning is that if you measure generously when you sell something to others, people will also measure generously when they sell something to you. But if you measure in a stingy way when you sell something to others, people will also measure in a stingy way when they sell something to you.

Jesus used this proverb in several contexts with different meanings. He intended his listeners to understand the proverb figuratively. There are two main ways to interpret this proverb here:

(1) The proverb refers to giving attention to Jesus’ teaching. The more carefully you listen to and heed Jesus’ teaching, the more God will enable you to understand. For example, the God’s Word says:

[Knowledge] will be measured out to you by the measure [of attention] you give.

(God’s Word, New Living Translation)

(2) The proverb refers to judging people. The way you judge others will determine the way that God judges you. For example, the Good News Bible says:

The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you

(Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is supported by most scholars (At least a dozen scholars support interpretation (1). The New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible are ambiguous, but their punctuation probably indicates that they follow interpretation (1).)and better fits the context of listening carefully to Jesus’ words.

Here are some other ways to translate this proverb:

• Translate the meaning literally or generally. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

The standard you use will be used for you

To help the people in your area understand the meaning of the proverb in this context, you may want to add a footnote. An example footnote is:

Here, this proverb indicates that the more effort people exert to listen to and understand Jesus’ teachings, the more God will increase their understanding.

• Translate the meaning as it applies here. For example:

The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given (New Living Translation)
-or-
God will give you understanding in proportion to the effort you use in listening to my teachings

If you follow this option, you may want to add a footnote that gives the literal translation of the proverb. For example:

This proverb literally says: “the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

it will be measured: The verb will be measured is passive. The focus is on the measure, not on who does the measuring. If you want to translate the proverb literally and cannot use a passive verb, you may need to make the subject explicit. If that is true in your language, you should use “God” (France (page 211) says that God is the assumed source of the reciprocal measure. Lane agrees (page 168). Several commentaries mention God as the implied subject, as do the UBS Handbook (page 145) and TRT (page 52).) as the subject. For example:

God will use the same measure for you
-or-
you will receive the same measure from God

4:24c

and even more will be added to you: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as will be added to you are passive. Here the words even more indicate that God will reward that person with even greater understanding than he deserved to receive from the amount of effort he used to listen. In other words, God generously rewards the efforts a person makes to understand Jesus’ teachings.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

and still more will be given you (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
In fact, God will give you even more understanding

4:24c may not a part of the proverb. Jesus added these words here. But they are connected to the proverb and its meaning. To reflect this, the New International Version, 2011 edition separates these words from the proverb with a long dash at the end of 4:24b. Your language may have a natural way to indicate that 4:24c is not a part of the proverb but is connected to it. Or it may be more natural in your language to use normal punctuation and not separate these words from the proverb. For example, the Berean Standard Bible and the Revised Standard Version use a comma here.

and even more: There is some contrast between equal measures in 4:24b and even more here. It may be more natural in your language to use “but” (as in the New Century Version).

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