In Greek this verse consists of one sentence; for the form of the sentence as it appears in Greek, see Revised Standard Version. The particular form of the if clause in Greek indicates that the content of the clause is assumed to be true. That is why Good News Translation translates it as a statement: “It is God who clothes the wild grass….” The form of the argument, which moves from the lesser to the greater, is typically Jewish: God cares for the wild grass (the lesser) and, therefore, he will care for you (the greater). For this same form of argument, see 7.11.
In addition to the way Good News Translation has restructured, translators may try “Just as God … so he will much more…” or “Since God clothes … therefore even more….” This can also be made into a statement and a question: “God clothes the grass of the field like that, and the grass is alive today and burned up tomorrow. Don’t you think he will be even more sure to clothe you?”
Grass of the field (Good News Translation “wild grass”). The reference may well include, or be equivalent to, wild flowers.
Some languages will just have “grass,” since they make no distinction between wild grass and any other. Or they may say “the grass growing everywhere.”
The grass today is alive, that is, it is “living today” or “is here one day (and burned the next).”
Thrown into is translated “burned up” by Good News Translation, which focuses upon the end result of the action and indicates what happens to the grass after it is thrown into the oven. In place of into the oven, New English Bible has “on the stove,” and New American Bible renders “on the fire.” The situation is that of an earthen oven into which dead grass and weeds were thrown and used for fuel. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch equates “grass” of this verse with “wild flowers” of the previous verse and does not mention “oven”: “If God so clothes the wild flowers which blossom today and tomorrow are burned up….”
In many languages it is not normal to burn grass in an oven, and translators will do better to say simply “burned up” or “burned up in someone’s fire.”
Will he not much more clothe you represents one part of the Greek sentence, which is literally “(will he) not much more (clothe) you.” The restructuring of Revised Standard Version necessitates the repetition of the verb clothe. In fact, even those translations which are generally rather formal have for the most part felt the need to repeat the verb. The question may be rendered as a strong affirmative statement; for example, “you can be sure then that he will clothe you.”
God will much more clothe you. This can mean that he will give you better or more clothing, but most translators take it to mean he will more surely clothe you. Examples of possible translations include “don’t you think he is even more likely to clothe you?” and “he is even more certain to provide clothes for you.”
O men of little faith translates one word in the Greek text, a noun of address. Good News Translation has “What little faith you have.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “Have more faith!” Elsewhere in the New Testament this word is used in Matthew 8.26; 14.31; 16.8; and Luke 12.28.
Many translators will make this a short sentence such as “You have so little faith!” or “Your faith in God is so small!” Jesus is rebuking the people, and this tone should be communicated, however the sentence is translated.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .