Paragraph 7:12

7:12a

In everything, then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then indicates that 7:12 is a conclusion. In this case, it is a general conclusion or summary of all that Jesus has taught in the Sermon on the Mount up to this point (5–7:11). The word then is not a time word.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

Therefore
-or-
In conclusion
-or-
To summarize ⌊all that I have said⌋

In everything…do to others as you would have them do to you: This statement means “Behave toward other people in the same way that you want them to behave toward you.”

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of the verse. For example:

Treat others as you want them to treat you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
do for other people everything you want them to do for you (God’s Word)

7:12b

For: The conjunction For indicates that 7:12b is the basis for the command in 7:12a.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

because
-or-
The reason is that

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.

this is the essence of: The phrase this is the essence of means “the command in 7:12a is the general principle taught by…”

Here are some other ways to translate this is:

this is the meaning of (Good News Translation)
-or-
This is a summary of all that is taught in (New Living Translation (1996))

the Law and the Prophets: In this context, the phrase the Law and the Prophets refers to the whole Old Testament.

In some languages, a literal translation would not clearly refer to the whole Old Testament. If that is true in your language, you may want to include some implied information. For example:

⌊the books of⌋ the laws ⌊that God gave to Moses⌋ and ⌊the books of⌋ the Prophets
-or-

⌊the books of⌋ the laws ⌊of Moses⌋ and the Prophets

-or-

the Old Testament

See how you translated this phrase in 5:17, but note that the conjunction and is used here instead of the conjunction “or.”

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