6:30
In Greek and the Berean Standard Bible, 6:30 is one long, complicated sentence. It contains several clauses. It also contains a rhetorical question. In some languages, it will be more natural to divide this long sentence into several shorter sentences. The God’s Word is one example of an English version that divides this sentence into three sentences. Compare the Berean Standard Bible and the God’s Word below:
30aIf that is how God clothes the grass of the field, 30bwhich is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, 30cwill He not much more clothe you, 30dO you of little faith? (Berean Standard Bible)
30aThat’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. 30bToday it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. 30cSo how much more will he clothe you people 30dwho have so little faith? (God’s Word)
It is also possible to divide this long sentence into four shorter sentences. For example:
30aThat’s the way God clothes the grass of the field. 30bToday it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an oven. 30cWill he not clothe you even more? 30dYou have so little faith!
Before you translate this verse, consider how many sentences you should have and what is the most natural order to put them in.
6:30a
If: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If can also be translated as “Since.” This is because the following statement is accepted as a fact.
Here are some other ways to translate these words:
But if (English Standard Version)
-or-
Since
that is how God clothes the grass of the field: The clause that is how God clothes the grass of the field means that “God clothes the grass of the field in that way.” This is the way mentioned in 6:29. In other words, “God clothes grass/plants in a way that is more beautiful than Solomon’s clothes.” This means that “God causes plants to have flowers/blossoms that are more beautiful than the expensive clothes that Solomon wore.” God does not actually give clothes to the plants, but he makes them look beautiful.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. (God’s Word)
-or-
God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God causes plants to have very beautiful flowers/blossoms
the grass of the field: The phrase the grass of the field is a Jewish way of saying “wild grass/plants.” This refers to plants that grow in the countryside without being cultivated. It includes flowers like lilies (in 6:28b). It does not just refer to green grass.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
wild grass (NET Bible)
-or-
wildflowers (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
plants/weeds
6:30b
which is here today and tomorrow: The word today in this context means “for a short time,” and not a literal day. In the same way the word tomorrow here means “soon.”
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
that are here today and gone tomorrow (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
here for a short time and then
-or-
live for only a few days and shortly after
-or-
that last only a very short time before they die
is thrown into the furnace: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as furnace refers to a dome-like structure made of clay. Some English versions translate this word as “oven” (English Standard Version). People would heat it with wood to cook or bake food or warm themselves.
The verb is thrown is passive.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
• As a passive. For example:
burned up in the oven (Good News Translation)
-or-
is tossed into the fire to heat the oven (NET Bible)
-or-
and thrown into a fire (Contemporary English Version)
• As an active. For example:
⌊people⌋ put into an furnace ⌊to burn⌋
-or-
⌊people⌋ throw into the fire
6:30c
will He not much more clothe you…?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that God will certainly provide clothing for his people. God values people much more than grass, so he will provide for people’s needs even more than he provides beauty for the wild grasses.
Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? (Good News Translation)
-or-
He will much more surely provide clothes for you, won’t he?
• As a statement. For example:
So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. (New Century Version)
-or-
You can know more certainly that God will provide the clothes you need to wear
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
6:30d
O you of little faith?: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as O you of little faith describes the people listening and speaks directly to them.
The NET Bible also uses a phrase here to speak directly to the disciples (“you people of little faith”). If this is natural in your language, then follow the Berean Standard Bible or NET Bible. But if it is not natural in your language to speak directly to a person or persons and at the same time describe them, you may use a complete clause. For example:
You have such little faith!
-or-
How little faith you have! (Revised English Bible)
-or-
You trust/believe ⌊in God⌋ so little!
-or-
Why do you have such little faith? (Contemporary English Version)
See also believe, Meaning 2 in the Glossary.
General Comment on 6:30d
In some languages, it may be more natural to put 6:30d at the beginning of the verse. For example:
30dYou ⌊people⌋ of such little faith. 30aIf God ⌊beautifully⌋ clothes the wild grass in that way, 30bwhich is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the ovens, 30cthen will he not much more surely provide clothing for you?
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