12:37

Before you begin translating this verse, think about the most natural way to translate it in your language. This verse has two parallel parts:

aby your words you will be aquitted

bby your words you will be condemned

In some languages, it will be natural to combine these two parts. For example:

The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said. (Contemporary English Version)

12:37a

This clause continues to refer to what will happen on the day of judgment.

For: Verse 12:37 explains what Jesus said in 12:36. The Greek introduces this explanation with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Here are some other ways to introduce this explanation:

Let me explain further
-or-

⌊That is true⌋ because

Some English versions do not introduce this explanation with a conjunction. In some languages, a conjunction will not be necessary here either.

by your words you will be acquitted: This clause means that your words will determine whether God declares you innocent. In other words, on judgment day, God will examine your words and declare you either innocent or guilty. If you have spoken good words, God will declare you “not guilty.”

This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

By your words you will be declared innocent (God’s Word)
-or-
A person will be declared innocent because of the words that he has said

• Use an active verb. For example:

⌊God⌋ will judge you and declare you innocent because of the words you have said
-or-

⌊God⌋ will use the words that a person has said to judge him innocent

your words you: In 12:36, Jesus spoke of “men”/people. Here in 12:37 he switched and used the singular pronouns your and you. But 12:37 still has a general application to all people. The pronoun you was not meant for only a single person in the crowd listening to Jesus. In some languages, it will be more natural to continue to use “people” or the singular “a person” here in 12:37. For example:

⌊God⌋ will judge and declare a person innocent based on his words.

12:37b

and: Each person will be declared either innocent or guilty. It may be more natural in some languages to use “or” instead of and here. For example:

or by your words you will be declared guilty (God’s Word)

by your words you will be condemned: This clause is parallel to the clause in 12:37a. It means that your words will determine whether God declares you guilty. In other words, on judgment day, God will examine your words and declare you either innocent or guilty. If you have spoken careless words, God will declare you “guilty.”

This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:

by your words you will be declared guilty (God’s Word)
-or-
a person will be declared guilty because of the words that he has said

Use an active verb. For example:

⌊God⌋ will judge you and declare you guilty because of the words you have said
-or-

⌊God⌋ will use the words that a person has said to judge/declare him guilty

condemned: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as condemned means “declared guilty.”

Here are some other ways to translate condemned:

declare…guilty (Good News Translation)

-or-

judged as evil/sinful

This word also occurs in 12:7c.

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