13:30a
Let both grow together: The word both refers to the weeds and the wheat.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Let them both grow together (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Let the weeds and the wheat grow together (New Century Version)
-or-
⌊Leave it alone.⌋ Allow both of them to grow together
until the harvest: The harvest refers to the time when the wheat is mature and ready to pick. At that time, the workers cut down the wheat, gathered it and put it in a safe place.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
until harvest time/season
-or-
until it is time to gather/cut the grain
13:30b
At that time: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as At that time is more literally “in the time of the harvest.” This phrase repeats most of the phrase in 13:30a. In some languages, it will not be natural to repeat it, which is why the Berean Standard Bible does not repeat the word “harvest.” If that is true in your language, you can say:
When that time comes
-or-
Then (Good News Translation)
I will tell the harvesters: The harvesters are the people whom the owner of the field hired to cut down the wheat and gather it.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
reapers (English Standard Version)
-or-
the harvest workers (Good News Translation)
-or-
those who cut the wheat/grain
13:30c
First collect the weeds: It is implied that the weeds are cut or pulled out and then collected/gathered. You may want to include some of the implied information. For example:
First ⌊cut and⌋ collect the weeds
-or-
First ⌊pull out and⌋ collect the weeds
tie them in bundles: During harvest time when the wheat plants were cut, it was common to tie the plants into bundles. The owner told the workers to do the same thing with the weeds. This made it easy to carry them.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
bind them in bundles (English Standard Version)
-or-
tie them together (New Century Version)
to be burned: The verb be burned is passive. The owner or his workers will burn the weeds. If a passive verb is not natural in your language here, you should use an active verb. For example:
in order to burn them
-or-
for burning
-or-
so we/you can burn them ⌊later⌋
13:30d
then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then indicates some contrast here. The contrast is between what the owner told the workers to do with the weeds (in 13:30c), and what he told them to do with the wheat (in 13:30d). Many English versions indicate this contrast with the conjunction “but.”
Here is another way to connect this part of the verse with the previous part:
and then (Good News Translation)
gather the wheat: The Jews harvested wheat by first cutting the wheat stalks with a large curved knife. The verb “cut” is implied. In some languages, it may be natural to include some of this implied information. For example:
Then ⌊cut and⌋ gather the wheat
into my barn: The word barn refers to a building used for storing food such as grain.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
storage house
-or-
granary
General Comment on 13:30b–d
In Greek, 13:30c–d is direct speech. The owner tells his servants the words that he will say to the harvesters. In some languages, it may be more natural to translate 13:30c–d as indirect speech. For example:
Then I will tell the harvest workers to pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them, and then to gather in the wheat and put it in my barn. (Good News Translation)
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