Paragraph 10:34–36

10:34a

Do not assume that: The word assume refers to having a belief about something.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Do not believe that
-or-
Do not say that
-or-
You are wrong if you think that

I have come: This clause refers to Jesus coming to earth. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

I have come ⌊to the earth/world⌋

This clause does not refer to recently coming to Capernaum.

to bring peace: These words refer to causing people to live in harmony/unity with each other. It refers to people living in good relationships with each other without fighting.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to cause people to live in harmony/unity
-or-
to prevent fighting

The word peace also occurs in 10:13b, but there it has a more general meaning.

10:34b

but a sword: Some of the words of the previous clause are implied but not repeated here. You may want to repeat some of these words to make this phrase natural in your language. For example:

but ⌊I have come to bring⌋ a sword

a sword: A sword is a long knife used for fighting and cutting. The swords of that time were 60–120 centimeters long and made of metal.

Here the word sword is a figure of speech. It refers to fighting or arguments between people. Jesus was saying that the spreading of the good news would cause fighting and opposition. This opposition would come not only from a person’s enemies but even from a person’s own family.

Here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:

• Keep the figure of speech. For example:

but a long knife
-or-
but ⌊I have come to bring⌋ a machete/bush-knife

• Translate the meaning directly without using a figure of speech. For example:

I didn’t come to bring peace but conflict (God’s Word)
-or-
I did not come to bring harmony. ⌊I came to bring⌋ disagreements/trouble.

-or-

I did not come to prevent fighting, but to cause fighting

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