SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023 – Page 12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 19:22

19:22a

When the young man heard this: The word this refers to Jesus’ words in 19:21.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

When the young man heard these/those words
-or-
When he heard this/that

he went away in sorrow: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in sorrow refers to an ongoing, deep grieving.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

he went away grieving (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
he left and he was very sad

19:22b

because: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because introduces the reason why the young man went away sad.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

for (English Standard Version)
-or-
The reason was that

he had great wealth: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as great wealth refers to a large number of things that the young man owned. Possessions are things like money, land, houses, clothing, etc.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

he had many possessions (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
he was very rich (Good News Translation)

-or-

he owned many things

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:24

Paragraph 20:24–28

20:24a

When the ten heard about this: Somehow, the other ten disciples heard/learned that James’ and John’s mother had asked Jesus to give them places of special honor. The text does not indicate who told them, or how they heard about it.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

When the ten heard it (English Standard Version)
-or-
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked (New Living Translation (2004))

the ten: This phrase refers to the other ten disciples. In some languages, it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

the other ten disciples (Good News Translation)

20:24b

they were indignant: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as indignant means “angry.” Matthew uses it in two other places to describe inappropriate anger (21:15 and 26:8). The other disciples were upset that James and John were trying to get ahead of them. They were angry because they were jealous.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

became angry (Good News Translation)

-or-

very upset/annoyed

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:22

Paragraph 22:22

22:22a

When they heard it: The pronoun they refers to the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees. These men had come to try and trap Jesus (22:16). The pronoun it refers to Jesus’ answer. It is possible to make both these explicit. For example:

when the people questioning him heard his answer

they marveled: The Greek verb that the English Standard Version translates as marveled also means “amazed” or “surprised.” It indicates that they were impressed with his answer. They had tried to trap him, but he successfully avoided the trap. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

they were amazed (New Century Version)
-or-
They were were surprised (God’s Word)

22:22b

And they left him and went away: The two verbs left and went away mean much the same thing. It could perhaps be understood as first stopping their conversation (“they left him”) and then leaving the area (“and went away”). If using both verbs together is not natural, you may combine them. For example:

And they went away (New Living Translation (2004))

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 1:7

1:7b–8a

Asa: A few English versions (New Revised Standard Version and English Standard Version) spell this name Asaph. Most English versions spell it Asa, as the Berean Standard Bible does. You should follow the spelling of the national language version, but spell it according to the rules of your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2:18

2:18

Verse 2:18 is a quote from Jeremiah 31:15. You may want to include a footnote with this reference in your translation.

2:18a

A voice is heard: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as voice can also mean “sound.” It refers to the voice (sound) of Rachel weeping and mourning.

The verb is heard is passive.

Here are some ways to translate this clause:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

A voice/sound was heard ⌊by people⌋

• As an active verb. For example:

⌊People⌋ heard the voice ⌊of someone⌋
-or-
A sound comes/came

in Ramah: The word Ramah is the name of a town. It was about eight kilometers (five miles) north of Jerusalem.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in ⌊the town of⌋ Ramah
-or-
from ⌊the village of⌋ Ramah

2:18b

weeping and great mourning: The phrase weeping and great mourning further describes the “voice” in 2:18a. It is not describing a new event. As 2:18c indicates, it was Rachel who was weeping and mourning.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

⌊it was the sound of⌋ weeping and great mourning
-or-

⌊someone was⌋ weeping and mourning

The two words weeping and great mourning have almost the same meaning. In some languages, both words can be translated by one emphatic word or phrase. For example:

loud sobbing
-or-
the sound of bitter weeping (Good News Translation)

weeping: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as weeping refers to loud crying. It does not refer to quiet weeping.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

crying (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
wailing (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
much/extreme crying

great mourning: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as great mourning refers to the sounds that people make when they have extreme grief. It is the sounds that people make when a relative has just died.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

loud wailing (NET Bible)
-or-
loud lamentation (English Standard Version)
-or-
weeping loudly (Contemporary English Version)

2:18c

Rachel weeping for her children: This clause identifies the “voice” or “sound” in 2:18a. The “voice” was the sound of Rachel weeping. It is figurative in this context. Rachel represents all the mothers who were weeping for their children who were killed.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

⌊That sound was⌋ Rachel weeping for her children
-or-

⌊It was the voice of⌋ Rachel weeping for her children

Rachel: The word Rachel is the name of a woman. She was the favorite wife of Jacob (Israel). The Jews considered Rachel to be the mother of their nation. She lived more than a thousand years before Jeremiah prophesied, and Jeremiah lived several hundred years before Christ was born. Jeremiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in his lifetime when many Israelites were killed in a war with Babylon. It was fulfilled again when Herod killed many baby boys in Bethlehem.

In some languages, it may be necessary to indicate that it was Rachel’s descendants who were weeping, not actually Rachel herself.

Here is another way to translate Rachel here:

Rachel’s descendants

weeping: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as weeping is the same word as in 2:18b. It refers to loud crying, not quiet whimpering.

her children: In the time of Jeremiah and in the time of Christ, the children mentioned were the children of Rachel’s descendants, not her literal children.

Notice that if you translate Rachel as “Rachel’s descendants,” you will have to translate the phrase her children as “their children.”

2:18d

and refusing to be comforted: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as refusing to be comforted also means “not willing to be consoled.” Rachel did not want anyone to help lessen her grief.

The verb comforted is passive.

Here are some ways to translate this entire phrase:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

she refused to be consoled (Revised Standard Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

she did not want anyone to comfort her

2:18e

because: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because introduces the reason for what was said in 2:18a–d.

In some languages, it may be more natural to put 2:18e before 2:18c. For example:

18eRachel’s children are dead. 18c⌊So⌋ she is weeping for them, 18dand she does not want to be comforted.

they are no more: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they are no more indicates that “the children were dead.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

they are dead (Good News Translation)
-or-
her children are dead (New Century Version)

-or-

they were gone (NET Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 4:10

4:10a

“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared: The Berean Standard Bible places the words Jesus declare in the middle of what Jesus said. This is good English style. However, in some languages it may be more natural to put these words at the beginning of 4:10. For example:

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan!” (English Standard Version)

As in the previous two temptations, Jesus here refused to do what the devil wanted him to do. In some languages, it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

⌊But⌋ Jesus ⌊refused. He⌋ said to him

Away from Me, Satan!: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Away from Me is a command. Jesus commanded Satan to leave him.

Here are some other ways to translate this command:

Go away, Satan! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Go away from me, Satan! (New Century Version)

It may be more natural in your language to have the name first. For example:

Satan, leave me!

Satan: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Satan is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew word which means “enemy.” Satan is one of the devil’s names. This is the first time in Matthew that the devil is referred to by his name Satan.

You should transliterate the word Satan in a way that sounds natural in your language.

4:10b

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as For also means “because.” It introduces the reason clause (4:10c) of a reason-result statement. The result is implied. The implied information is: “I will not worship you.”

result (implied)

⌊I will not worship you,
⌋

reason (4:10c)

for/because it is written that only God is to be worshipped.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• Translate the implied information and the conjunction. For example:

⌊I will not worship you,⌋ for/because it is written…
-or-
It is written…. ⌊So/Therefore I will not worship you.⌋

• Translate “For it is written…” as a separate sentence and leave the conjunction and relationship implied. For example:

It is written in the Scriptures… (New Century Version)
-or-
Scripture says…. (God’s Word)

it is written: As in 4:4a and 4:6b, Jesus used the phrase it is written to introduce words from the Hebrew Scriptures.

Here is another way to translate this:

The scripture says (Good News Translation)

The quote in 4:10c are words that God gave to Moses, and Moses wrote them down. So you could translate this phrase as:

⌊Moses⌋ wrote

4:10c

‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’: This sentence is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:13. These words were a command to each of the people of Israel. In Greek, the verbs Worship and serve and the pronoun your are singular. However, since the command is given to everyone, in some languages it may be more natural to use the plural forms. For example:

You (plur.) must worship the Lord, who is your God, and obey only him.
-or-
People must worship the Lord their God and serve only him.

Jesus quoted this command in order to tell Satan that he would never worship him. He was declaring that he would obey the Scriptures and only worship the Lord God.

Worship…serve: The two verbs Worship and serve are a doublet. This means that these two words mean almost the same thing. To Worship God is to bow before him and adore him. (See the note on “worship me” in 4:9.) To serve God means to do the things that show that you honor him as your God. These two verbs work together to describe how people should act toward God.

Here are some other ways to translate these verbs:

Bow down to the Lord your God and respect only him.
-or-
You must submit to the Lord your God and honor him alone.

General Comment on 4:10b–c

Jesus was not commanding Satan to worship the Lord. In some languages, a literal translation may imply that Jesus was telling Satan what to do. If that is the case in your language, you may need to say explicitly to whom the command was addressed. For example:

⌊This command to the people of Israel⌋ is written ⌊in God’s book⌋: You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.

Another possibility is to use indirect speech. For example:

The Scripture says that a person must worship the Lord his God and serve only him.

-or-

It is written that we(excl.) must worship the Lord our God and serve him alone.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:17

Section 5:17–20

Jesus came to fulfill Scripture

In this section, Jesus taught that he came into the world to fulfill the prophecies in the Old Testament Scripture (5:17). The Old Testament indicates that the Christ (Messiah) would be the Savior of mankind. God showed that Jesus was the Christ by the many miracles he did through Jesus. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection brought the Scripture to its completion. In this section, Jesus also exhorted his disciples to live righteously (5:19–20).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Teaching about the law
-or-
The fulfillment of the law
-or-
Jesus fulfills the prophecies of Scripture

Paragraph 5:17–20

5:17a

Do not think that: Jesus knew that some Jews would later accuse him of trying to destroy God’s laws. So he said here that they should not think such thoughts.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

You (plur.) should not think that
-or-
Don’t suppose that (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Do not say in your mind/heart that

I have come: The clause I have come refers to Jesus coming into the world.

So here is another way to translate this clause:

I have come to the earth

This clause does not refer to Jesus’ coming to the mountain where he was preaching.

to abolish: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as abolish means “do away with, make invalid, repeal.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

to destroy (New Century Version)
-or-
to do away with (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to set aside (God’s Word)

the Law or the Prophets: By itself, the phrase the Law refers to the first five books of the Old Testament. The phrase the Prophets refers to the Old Testament books from Isaiah to Malachi. When these two phrases are used together, they refer to the entire Old Testament including all the books between the law and the Prophets.

Jesus used the conjunction or to indicate that he would abolish no part of the Old Testament.

Here are some other ways to translate these phrases:

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

⌊the books of⌋ the laws ⌊of Moses⌋ or ⌊the books of⌋ the Prophets
-or-

⌊The Scriptures starting from⌋ the laws ⌊given to Moses⌋ ⌊through⌋ ⌊the writings of⌋ the Prophets

5:17b

I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them: In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 5:17b. For example:

I have come to fulfill them and not to abolish them.

to fulfill them: Here, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to fulfill has a broader meaning than its meaning in previous contexts like 4:14. Here this word includes the aspects of:

(a) to make them come true (as in God’s Word). Jesus made come true the Old Testament prophecies which refer to the promised Messiah.

(b) to complete them (as in the New Jerusalem Bible). Jesus finished the requirements of the Old Testament, like sacrifices. (As such, it is not necessary for us to do these sacrifices again.)

(c) to obey them. Jesus obeyed all the Old Testament commandments (though not always in the way that the religious leaders thought that he should obey them).

(d) to teach their true meaning. Jesus, by his life and teaching, revealed the true meaning and implications of the Old Testament Scriptures. He revealed how to apply the Scriptures.

To adequately translate this word, it may be necessary to include several of the aspects above. For example:

to fulfill them and show/reveal their true meaning
-or-
to complete them and make them come true

-or-

to make their true meaning clear and to cause them to come true

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 6:1

Section Cluster

6:1–18

Do not do good deeds for people to praise you

In 5:20 Jesus said that his disciples’ righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees and the scribes. In 5:21–48 he gave examples of what he meant by this command. But now, beginning in 6:1, Jesus warned his disciples not to do righteous acts with the hope that others will see them and think how good they are. Instead, they are to do their righteous acts secretly, and then God will reward them.

In 6:1–18 Jesus talked about three acts of righteousness:

(a) giving to poor people (6:1–4)

(b) prayer (6:5–15)

Each of these acts of righteousness are discussed in separate sections below.

Section 6:1–4

Jesus taught about giving to poor people

In this section, Jesus taught his disciples that when they give money to poor people, they should do so secretly.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Giving to the needy
-or-
Giving alms

Paragraph 6:1

Verse 6:1 is a summary of 6:1–18. It gives the general rule: Jesus’ disciples should want God’s approval, not human praise.

6:1a

Even though a new chapter begins at 6:1, Jesus continued “the Sermon on the Mount” which he began in chapter 5. In some languages, no introduction is necessary here. In other languages, it may be natural to begin this chapter with something like:

⌊Jesus continued,⌋
-or-

⌊Jesus continued to teach and said,⌋
-or-

⌊But Jesus warned them,⌋

Be careful not to perform: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Be careful not to perform is a strong way to say “Do not do.” The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Be careful refers to being alert or on guard about something. Here the warning is to be alert “not to do something.”

Some languages have other ways to strengthen a command. For example:

Make certain you do not perform (Good News Translation)
-or-
Be careful not to do (New International Version)
-or-
You must never do

your righteous acts: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your righteous acts refers to right/good deeds that are done to honor and worship God. In this context, the phrase specifically refers to giving to the poor (6:2–4), praying (6:5–15), and fasting (6:16–18). It includes other good actions as well.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

your good deeds (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
your deeds which honor God
-or-
your religious duties (Good News Translation)
-or-
something good/upright

The word righteous also occurs in 5:6a.

Jesus expected his followers to do good deeds. His warning here was against doing good works for the wrong reason. In some languages, it may be more natural to first state what Jesus expected, and then state the warning. For example:

When you do good deeds, be careful never to do them only so that other people will see you.

before men: The phrase before men refers to doing something “openly” or “in an obvious way.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in public (Good News Translation)
-or-
to attract attention (God’s Word)
-or-

⌊in order that⌋ people see you
-or-
to impress people

The word men is used in general way in this phrase and refers to people, both men and women.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

before other people (English Standard Version)
-or-
in front of others (New International Version)

6:1b

to be seen by them: The clause to be seen by them implies more than just being seen by other people’s eyes. It implies a desire to be praised by people. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

to be seen ⌊and honored/praised⌋ by them
-or-
to be admired (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
to impress people

The clause to be seen by them is passive.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

in order that you are seen by them

• Use an active verb. For example:

so that they/people will see you

6:1c

If you do: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If you do can also be translated as “for then” (as in the English Standard Version). It refers to doing good deeds in order that people will see you.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

If you do that (New Century Version)
-or-
In that case
-or-
because then (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
If you do those deeds in that ⌊wrong⌋ way

you will have no reward from your Father in heaven: This clause is like a passive clause. In some languages, it is more natural to use an active clause. For example:

your Father in heaven will not give a reward to you

reward: The word reward refers to a gift given for behavior that God approves of. It could be a special honor or blessing that God gives to that kind of person.

In some languages, it is more natural to use a verb or clause to express this idea. For example:

your Father in heaven will not reward you. (God’s Word)
-or-
your Father in heaven will not honor/bless you

This word also occurs in 5:46a.

your Father in heaven: In this verse, Jesus spoke of God as your Father. Jesus further described God and distinguished him from our earthly father by saying in heaven.

In some languages, the phrase your Father would imply that God was only the father of those to whom Jesus was speaking, but not Jesus’ father. If that is so in your language, you may want to translate this phrase as:

our(incl.) heavenly father

-or-

⌊God⌋ our(incl.) father who lives in heaven

This phrase also occurs in 5:45a. You should translate it here as you did there.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 19:22

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:24

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:22

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 1:7

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 4:10

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:17

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 6:1

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