7:10a–b

Or: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Or functions to introduce another example of Jesus’ teaching about giving good things to those who ask.

if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?: This is a rhetorical question. It is similar to the rhetorical question in 7:9. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that no one would give a serpent to his child if he asks for a fish. The words “which of you” are implied but not repeated from 7:9a–b.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Would you give your child a snake if the child asked for a fish? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Or if your child asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

If/When your son asks you for a fish ⌊to eat⌋, certainly none of you would give a snake to him.

7:10a

fish: At that time, people in Israel ate a lot of fish. Here it is implied that the son was asking for a fish because he was hungry. If people do not eat fish in your culture, you may need to:

• Use a word for “meat.”

• Substitute the name of another common food that is good for children to eat.

If you use a cultural substitute, you may want to include a footnote to indicate the literal word. An example footnote:

Literally “fish.” People in Israel regularly ate fish.

7:10b

will give him a snake: Jewish laws forbid eating a snake. So no Jewish father would give his son a snake when his son asked for a fish to eat.

But in some languages giving a snake would be good. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Add implied information to indicate that giving a snake is bad. For example:

⌊inedible⌋ snake
-or-
snake ⌊forbidden to eat⌋

• Use the name of a specific type of snake that people do not eat. For example:

viper
-or-
cobra
-or-
poisonous snake

• Use another type of snake-like creature that people do not eat. For example:

lizard
-or-
worm

• Translate the word snake in your translation and add a footnote to explain. For example:

In Jewish culture, giving a snake was bad, because Jewish law forbids it.

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