Paragraph 16:17–20

16:17a

Jesus replied: Jesus responded to Simon Peter’s answer. He did not answer a question. So in some languages, it will be more natural to use a different verb here. For example:

Jesus answered him (English Standard Version)
-or-
Jesus said to him

Blessed are you: The word Blessed here refers to God doing good to someone or putting that person in a good position. Use the same word for Blessed here as you used in 5:3–11, 11:6 and 13:16a.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

⌊God has⌋ blessed you
-or-
You are favored
-or-

⌊God has⌋ favored you
-or-

⌊God has⌋ done good to you

Simon son of Jonah: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as son of Jonah is transliterated in some English versions. For example:

Simon Bar-Jonah (English Standard Version)

Most English versions translate this word as son of Jonah or “Bar-Jonah.” But the Good News Translation and New Living Translation (2004) translate this word as “son of John.” This is probably based on John 1:42. (The names Jonah and John are spelled similarly in the Greek.) It is recommended that you use the name Jonah.

In some languages, it will be more natural to put this name first in the quote in 16:17a. For example:

Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed

16:17b

For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For indicates that 16:17b is the reason that Simon is blessed. The result is in 16:17a. In some languages, it may be more natural to put the reason before the result. For example:

17bFlesh and blood has not revealed this to you. 17a⌊That is why⌋ you are blessed.

this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood: The phrase flesh and blood is a figurative way of speaking about human beings. It implies that a spirit being like God revealed to Simon Peter that Jesus is the Christ. Human beings did not reveal it to him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

No human revealed this to you (God’s Word)
-or-
no one of this earth showed that to you
-or-
no person taught you that (New Century Version)

this: The word this refers to Simon Peter’s words in 16:16a–b, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

this truth (Good News Translation)
-or-
this understanding/knowledge
-or-
that I am the Christ

16:17c

but: There is a contrast between who did not reveal this to Peter, and who did reveal it to him. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction but.

Here are some other ways to indicate this contrast:

instead
-or-
rather

In some languages, a conjunction is not needed to indicate this contrast.

by My Father in heaven: The words “revealed to you” from 16:17b are implied but not repeated here. In some languages, it may be more natural to repeat some or all of the words. For example:

my Father who is in heaven ⌊revealed this to you⌋
-or-
it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven (Good News Translation)
-or-
my heavenly Father ⌊showed you that I am the Christ⌋

My Father in heaven: This phrase refers to God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

my Father ⌊God⌋ in heaven
-or-
my heavenly Father

-or-

my Father who ⌊lives⌋ in heaven

General Comment on 16:17a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to state the positive clause (16:17c) first and the negative clause (16:17b) second. For example:

17cMy Father who is in heaven revealed this to you. 17bFlesh and blood did not.

In some languages, it may also be natural to put part of 16:17a (the result) at the end of the verse after 16:17b–c (the reason). For example:

17aSimon son of Jonah, 17cmy heavenly Father showed that to you. 17bNo one of this earth showed it to you. 17a⌊So⌋ you are blessed.

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