SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023 – Page 74

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:12

20:12a

These men who were hired last: This phrase refers to the last men whom the master hired. These were the men whom he hired at 5 o’clock.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

These last workers (God’s Word)
-or-
These men who were hired last (New International Version)
-or-
These ⌊men whom you hired⌋ last

This phrase is an important link to the topic of the “first will be last, and the last will be first” (see 19:30). It is important to keep the word last here.

worked only one hour: The phrase one hour refers to a short period of time compared to the twelve hours that the first men worked.

The word only is not in the Greek text, but most English versions include it. This word helps to make clear that the men were complaining.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

worked only for a short time
-or-
worked only at the end

20:12b

and: In 20:12b, the first men complain of an unexpected result. The last men worked only one hour. So the first men expected that less work would result in less pay. But the master paid the last workers the same as the first workers.

Here are some other ways to introduce this unexpected result:

But (New Century Version)
-or-
Yet (God’s Word)

you have made them equal to us: This clause means that the master acted towards the last workers in the same way as he did the first workers. In this context, it refers to the master giving the same amount of money to the last workers as he gave to the first workers.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

You treated them in the same way that you treated us
-or-
you paid them the same that you did us (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us (New Living Translation (2004))

The first workers did not complain about how much money they received. Rather they were jealous that those hired last got the same amount.

them: The pronoun them refers to the last workers whom the master hired.

us: The pronoun us refers to the first group of workers whom the master hired. It does not refer to any other workers. If you have inclusive and exclusive pronouns in your language, choose the pronoun that refers to the first group.

20:12c

Verse 20:12c is a relative clause. It is a sentence that explains something about the pronoun “us” in 20:12b. In some languages, it will be more natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

We bore the burden of the day and the scorching heat.

who have borne the burden: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as borne means “carry.” To “carry the burden of the day” is figurative speech. It refers to doing a day of hard work. The first workers worked hard all day, not the last workers. The first workers did most of the work that day. In that sense, they carried the burden.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

we worked hard all day (God’s Word)
-or-
We have done most of the work…all day (NIRV)
-or-
We endured working all day

and the scorching heat of the day: The Greek noun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as scorching heat comes from a verb that means “burn up.” It refers to the heat of the middle of the day when the sun is shining strongly. The ones hired last did not experience the hot sun when they worked.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in the hot sun (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
in all the heat (New Jerusalem Bible)

-or-

while it was hot

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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 22:10

22:10a

And those servants went out into the roads: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as roads is the same word as the word “roads” in the phrase “main roads” in 22:9a. The servants went to the roads that led out of the city. But here it is a general reference to “roads,” so other ways to translate it are:

into the streets (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
to the paths/trails

In some languages, it will not be natural to repeat the word roads here. So some other ways to translate this clause are:

So the servants went there
-or-
Then the slaves went

22:10b

and gathered all whom they found: The Greek verb that the English Standard Version translates as gathered is also means “brought together.” This clause indicates that the servants did just as the king commanded them to do.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

collected together (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
brought in (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
assembled

22:10c

both bad and good: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as bad is more literally “evil.” It indicates that some of the people whom the servants collected were people whom Jews would consider sinful (or unrighteous).

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

both evil and good (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
bad behavior/character as well as good

In this phrase the word bad is emphasized because it comes first. This is opposite the usual order.

22:10d

So: The Greek conjunction that the English Standard Version here translates as So is the ordinary conjunction that joins two events or things. Many English versions translate it as “and.” For example:

and (New International Version)

the wedding hall was filled with guests: The Greek word that the English Standard Version here translates as wedding hall is the same word translated as “wedding feast” elsewhere in this chapter (22:2b, 3b, 4f, 9b). However, because this word is together with the verb was filled here, it seems to indicate a place like a room or building where the wedding was celebrated, rather than the event itself.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the banquet room (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the place/house of the wedding

This is a passive clause. There are two ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

The banquet room was filled with guests (Contemporary English Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

Many people came and filled the place of the wedding.

with guests: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as guests refers to people who actually came to the wedding. This is the second group of people whom the king invited to come.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

with people (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:42

22:42a

What do you think about the Christ?: This is the first of two questions that Jesus asked om 22:42. The words What do you think introduce the topic of Jesus’ questions. The topic is the Christ. The real part of the two questions is actually in the second question (in 22:42b).

Here are some other ways to translate this first question:

What do you think concerning the Christ?
-or-
What do you think in regards to the Messiah?

the Christ: Here the Christ refers to the person whom God promised to send. The Christ is another name for the Messiah. Jesus asked the Pharisees to speak from their general understanding about the Messiah. He was not referring to himself.

If you translated the Christ as “the Messiah” in 16:16a, you should also use “the Messiah” here. For example:

the Messiah (God’s Word)

22:42b

Whose son is he?: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as son can also mean “descendant.” This question is about the male parent/ancestor of the Messiah.

Here are some other ways to translate this question:

Whose descendant is he? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Who is his ancestor?

22:42c

They said to him: The pronoun They refers to the Pharisees. Here is another way to translate this clause:

They answered

The son of David: Some words from 22:42b are implied here but not repeated. The complete answer would be:

⌊He is⌋ the son of David

This refers to King David. In some languages, it may be good to make this explicit. For example:

He will be a son of King David. (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2:6

2:6

Verse 2:6 contains a figure of speech called apostrophe. In this figure of speech, God speaks to the town of Bethlehem as if it were a person.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

• Keep the apostrophe as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Translate it in a way that God is speaking to the people of the town. For example:

6aYou ⌊people of⌋ Bethlehem in the land of Judah, 6b⌊your town⌋ is by no means least among the towns of Judah, 6cfor out of your ⌊town⌋ will come a ruler 6dwho will be the shepherd of my people Israel.

• Translate it in a way that God is speaking indirectly about the town. For example:

But Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, it is by no means least among the leading towns of Judah; for out of it will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.

2:6a

But: In the Greek, this verse begins with a conjunction that is usually translated as “And.” In Matthew, only part of a longer passage from Micah is quoted. In that longer passage, there is contrast. However, here in Matthew, the incomplete quote indicates no contrast. Only the Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, and the New Century Version translate the conjunction as But. Most other versions, such as the Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible, have “and.” Still others, such as the Good News Translation, do not use a conjunction here.

Since Matthew quotes only part of Micah, you may leave this conjunction untranslated.

you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah: In some languages, it will be more natural to put the pronoun you at the end of this clause. For example:

Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you

the land of Judah: The phrase the land of Judah refers to the country/kingdom of Judah. When the prophet Micah wrote these words, Judah was a kingdom. When Jesus was born, this area was no longer its own country. It had become a province and was then called Judea (2:5a). If possible, Judah and Judea should be spelled differently in your language.

2:6b

are by no means least: The phrase are by no means least is a figure of speech called litotes. In this figure of speech, God through the prophet makes an emphatic statement. He does this by stating that the opposite is not true. Bethlehem is not the least important town. This is a way to emphasize that Bethlehem is an important town.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Keep the apostrophe of 2:6 and the litotes here in 2:6b. For example:

are not least (New Living Translation (2004))

• Keep the apostrophe but not the litotes. For example:

you are very important (Contemporary English Version)

• Keep neither the apostrophe nor the litotes. For example:

you people are in a very important town

among the rulers of Judah: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rulers refers to a person who rules over a province. God was speaking to Bethlehem as if it were a person, so he referred to Bethlehem as a ruler of Judah.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Keep the apostrophe. For example:

among the leaders of Judah (God’s Word)

• Do not keep the apostrophe. In that case, you should translate the word rulers as towns/cities. For example:

of the leading cities of Judah (Good News Translation)
-or-
among the great towns of Judah

2:6c

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for indicates that 2:6c is the reason for what was said in 2:6b. 6bBethlehem is not the least among the towns of Judah, 6cfor/because a ruler will come from Bethlehem.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

because
-or-
The reason is that

In some languages, it is more natural to translate 2:6c (the reason clause) before 2:6b (the result clause). For example:

6cout of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. 6b⌊So⌋ you, Bethlehem, are by no means least among the towns of Judah.

out of you will come a ruler: This clause indicates that a ruler or “great leader” will be born in Bethlehem.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

From your town will come a leader (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
It is from you that a ruler will come

2:6d

who will be the shepherd: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be the shepherd also means “tend.” It refers to watching over, protecting, and leading animals to places where there are plants to eat. Here it is used figuratively to represent a leader who watches over, protects, and provides for his people.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

• Literally, as a verb or noun. For example:

will shepherd (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
will be the shepherd (New Living Translation (2004))

• With a simile. For example:

will be like a shepherd (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
will lead…like a shepherd

• Without the figure of a shepherd. For example:

will guide (Good News Translation)

My people: The pronoun My refers to God. It does not refer to the prophet Micah.

Israel: The word Israel refers to the people who were the descendants of the man whose name was Israel. (This man was first called Jacob.)

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the descendants of Israel
-or-
the tribe/nation of Israel

-or-

the Israelites

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 3:15

Paragraph 3:15

3:15a

There is a contrast between 3:14 and 3:15. The contrast is between John trying to prevent the baptism and Jesus telling him to allow it. Some English versions show this contrast with the conjunction “But” (English Standard Version). However, the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions do not explicitly show the contrast.

Let it be so now: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Let it be so refers to permitting something to happen. John had tried to prevent the baptism (3:14a). But Jesus told him to allow it.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Permit it at this time (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
For now this is how it should be (Contemporary English Version)

now: In this context, the word now indicates that that particular moment in time was the right time for John to baptize Jesus.

Here is another way to translate this word:

at this time (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus replied: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as replied sometimes introduces an answer to a question. In this passage, it introduces a response to a rhetorical question, not a real question.

The Berean Standard Bible places the words Jesus replied at the end of what Jesus said. This is good English style. However, in some languages, it may be more natural to follow the Greek and place these words at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

But Jesus answered him… (English Standard Version)

If you translated 3:14c as a question, you may want to use a word here meaning “answered.” But if you translated it as a statement, you may need to use a different word meaning something like “said” or “stated.”

3:15b

The Greek of 3:15b begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “for.” It introduces the basis for Jesus’ command in 3:15a. The Berean Standard Bible omits this conjunction. Here is another way to translate this conjunction:

because (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, it will be more natural to put 3:15b before 3:15a. For example:

15bIt is proper for us to do this ⌊in order⌋ to do what God wants. 15a⌊So⌋ for now, let it be so.

It is fitting for us: The word fitting refers to something being morally right or correct. It was proper or correct for John to baptize Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

it is right for us (NET Bible)
-or-
we must do (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
it is proper for us (New International Version)

to fulfill all righteousness: The phrase to fulfill all righteousness indicates that when John baptized Jesus, they would accomplish God’s will. The word righteousness refers here to doing the right/good things that God requires. It was God’s will at that moment for John to baptize Jesus, and it was God’s will for Jesus to undergo John’s baptism.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

do all that God requires (Good News Translation)
-or-
to do the right/good things that God wants

This phrase probably refers only to the baptism. It does not refer to all the things that God wanted Jesus to do. Your translation should not indicate a general reference for all time.

in this way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in this way can also be translated as “thus” or “this.” For example:

it is proper for us to do this (New International Version)
-or-

This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us. (God’s Word)

General Comment on 3:15a–b

Verse 3:15a–b is a direct quote. In some languages, it is more natural to translate this as an indirect quote. For example:

15aBut Jesus told him to allow it at that time 15bbecause it was proper for them to do it ⌊in order⌋ to do what God wanted them to do.

3:15c

Then John permitted Him: The word permitted indicates that John agreed or accepted. For example:

So John agreed (Good News Translation)

It is implied that John agreed to baptize Jesus. In some languages, it may be natural to make this information explicit. For example:

So John agreed to baptize Jesus (New Century Version)

-or-

So John accepted ⌊to baptize Jesus⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:5

5:5a

Blessed are: For help in translating the word Blessed, see the note at 5:3a.

the meek: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as meek refers to people who are gentle and humble. A person who is meek is not aggressive or quick to retaliate.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

those who are gentle (God’s Word)
-or-
those who are humble (Good News Translation)
-or-
those who are not aggressive

5:5b

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for introduces the reason that “the meek” are blessed. They are blessed because they shall inherit the earth. For example:

because the earth will belong to them (New Century Version)

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example:

They will inherit the earth. (God’s Word)

In other languages, it will be more natural to put 5:5b before 5:5a. For example:

The meek will inherit the earth, ⌊so⌋ they are blessed.

they will inherit the earth: In this context, the word inherit means “possess” or “acquire.” In your translation you may want to use a more general term as well. For example:

The earth will belong to them (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
they will receive the whole earth

the earth: There are two ways to interpret the phrase the earth:

(1) It is literal and refers to the whole earth. It probably refers to the promise of the new earth (Revelation 21:1) in God’s kingdom. For example:

because the earth will belong to them (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, Revised English Bible, King James Version, New Century Version)

(2) It is figurative and refers to all that God has promised to his people. For example:

they will receive what God has promised (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:37

5:37a

Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’: This clause indicates that believers are to say only Yes when they truly mean Yes. In the same way, they are to say only No when they truly mean No. They must not use oaths to persuade people to believe what they say. In both cases Jesus emphasizes that believers must be perfectly truthful in their answers.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Just say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ (Good News Translation)
-or-
All you need say is ‘Yes’ if you mean yes, ‘No’ if you mean no (New Jerusalem Bible)

5:37b

Anything more: The phrase Anything more refers to any kind of words that are stronger or in addition to a simple “yes” or “no.” This phrase includes using oaths.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

Anything more than that (God’s Word)
-or-
If you say more than yes or no (New Century Version)

comes from: The phrase comes from indicates the origin or source of such oaths. In this verse, it is “the evil one” (that is, the devil) who causes or inspires the oath taking. It is not of God.

the evil one: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the evil one:

(1) It refers to the evil one, Satan. For example:

the devil (Contemporary English Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It refers to evil. For example:

anything more than this comes from evil (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation (1996))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions and commentators.

Here are some other ways to translate this entire clause:

Any statement more than that comes from the Evil One, the Devil.

-or-

If you add an oath ⌊to your “yes” or “no”⌋ ⌊so that people will believe you⌋, it comes from ⌊the Devil, who is⌋ the Evil One.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 6:21

6:21

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the basis for the commands in 6:19–20. Jesus commanded his followers:

19aDo not lay up treasures on earth, 20abut lay up treasures in heaven. 21For/Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In some languages, it is more natural to put the basis for the commands (in 6:21) before the commands. For example:

21Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 19⌊So/Therefore,⌋ do not lay up for yourselves…

In some languages, no conjunction or phrase is needed to introduce 6:21.

where your treasure is, there your heart will be also: This sentence refers to the fact that a person’s thoughts and actions will be focused on those things that he values most. A person who desires material things will spend his life trying to accumulate material things. A person who desires things that please God will spend his life trying to please God.

Here are some other ways to translate this sentence:

The place where your treasures are stored, at that same place will also be your heart/thoughts

-or-

Your thoughts will want to be at the place where the things you value are.

heart: The word the Berean Standard Bible translates as heart refers to your inner life, your thoughts and desires. For the word heart, use a term that is normally used in your language for “inner life.” It may be a different organ such as “liver” or “throat.” Or it may be a more general term such as “insides” or “spirit.” See how you translated heart in 5:8.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:10

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:42

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2:6

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 3:15

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:5

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 5:37

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 6:21

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