Section 15:29–31
Jesus healed many people
In this short section, Jesus healed many people with different kinds of physical problems.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Jesus healed many kinds of illnesses
-or-
Jesus made many people well
Paragraph 15:29–31
15:29a–b
Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee: Jesus’ trip probably had three parts:
(a) He left the region of Tyre and Sidon
(b) He traveled several days and came to the Sea of Galilee
(c) He walked part of the way around the Sea of Galilee. He stopped when he arrived at the base of a mountain that was beside the sea.
The disciples went with Jesus, but they are not mentioned because the focus is on Jesus. In some languages, it may be more natural to mention the disciples.
Also, part (b) of the trip is left implied in the Berean Standard Bible and other English versions. In some languages, it may be more natural to make this part more explicit. For example:
Then Jesus left there ⌊and traveled to⌋ the Sea of Galilee and walked beside it
-or-
Jesus ⌊and the disciples⌋ left ⌊the region of Tyre and Sidon⌋ ⌊and went/returned to⌋ the Sea of Galilee and walked ⌊part way⌋ around it
15:29a
Moving on from there: This phrase means that Jesus and his disciples left the area of Tyre and Sidon.
Before Jesus had gone to the district of Tyre and Sidon (in 15:21b), he was in Gennesaret. Gennesaret is on the northwest shore of Lake Galilee. So here in this verse, when Jesus left Tyre and Sidon, he “returned” to the area around Lake Galilee. In some languages, it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:
Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus left that area and returned to Lake Galilee
15:29b
the Sea of Galilee: Here, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sea refers to a large freshwater lake. This lake is 23 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide (14 miles long and 6 miles wide).
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
Lake Galilee (Good News Translation)
Use the same expression for Sea as you did in 4:13b and 13:1b.
15:29c
He went up on a mountain: The word mountain refers to a hill or a mountain about 500 meters high. In some languages, it is more natural to say “climbed” a mountain. For example:
He climbed a hill (Good News Translation)
The phrase went up on a mountain also occurs in 14:23b. As is mentioned there, this phrase indicates that Jesus went at least part way up the side of a mountain. It does not say if he went to the top of the mountain. For example:
Then he went up on a mountainside (New International Version)
and sat down: The Greek tense indicates that Jesus sat down and stayed sitting for some time. While he sat there, news of his arrival spread and the crowds brought their sick people (15:30). If it is natural in your language, you may want to indicate that he was sitting for some time. For example:
was sitting (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
sat down. While he was sitting there
The Greek does not indicate why Jesus sat down. Many times, the words sat down indicate that Jesus was preparing to teach. However, here, Matthew only says that he healed people. Perhaps Jesus just sat down to rest. Here, you should not say why he sat down.
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