SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023 – Page 79

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 14:25

14:25a

During the fourth watch of the night: This phrase refers to the time between 3:00–6:00 a.m. This phrase comes from the work of soldiers who stand guard for three hours at a time during the night. The first soldiers begin at 6:00 pm.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Between three and six o’clock in the morning (Good News Translation)
-or-
A little while before morning (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Sometime before dawn

14:25b

Jesus went out to them: Jesus approached the disciples who were in the boat. If people in your area will think that the pronoun them refers to the crowd, you may want to use the words “the disciples” instead.

walking on the sea: In this miracle, Jesus was walking on the surface of the water as if walking on dry ground.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

walking on ⌊the surface of⌋ the lake

-or-

walking on top of the water

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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 15:21

Section 15:21–28

A Gentile woman strongly believed in Jesus

In this section, Jesus left his own country and met a Gentile woman. This woman had a daughter who was possessed by a demon. At first, Jesus refused to help the woman. He told her that his ministry was to the Jews. But the woman showed persistence and great faith. Jesus rewarded her faith by healing her daughter. He did the healing from a distance by only speaking some words.

This story follows the story about the spiritually “blind” Pharisees. It shows that Gentiles can also have true faith. While Jesus was on the earth, his ministry was primarily to the Jews. But he also ministered to Gentiles.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The Faith of a Gentile Woman (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus Helps a Non-Jewish Woman (New Century Version)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Mark 7:24–30.

Paragraph 15:21–28

15:21a

The story in 15:21–28 began sometime after the story in 15:1–20 ended. The Greek text does not indicate how much time passed between these two stories. In some languages, it is natural to begin a story with a time word or phrase. If your language is like that, use an expression here that is not too specific. For example:

Then (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
After that

Leaving that place, Jesus: This clause means that Jesus left the area of Gennesaret. He had been in Gennesaret since 14:34. The fact that he went to the district of Tyre and Sidon means that he also left the district of Galilee. That meant that he also left the country of the Jews.

The disciples are with Jesus in 15:23. So the disciples also left the area with him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Jesus left that place (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus left Galilee (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus ⌊and his disciples⌋ left there

15:21b

withdrew: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as withdrew in this context means “left,” “moved away,” or “went to a safe place.” He withdrew from the conflict with the Pharisees. This word also occurs in 12:15a and 14:13b.

The distance he traveled is about 40–50 kilometers (25–30 miles) and over some hills and down to the seacoast. It is a walk of several days.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

and went away (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
went (NET Bible)

the district of Tyre and Sidon: Tyre and Sidon were towns in the country of Phoenicia. Phoenicia was not a Jewish country. The phrase the district of Tyre and Sidon refers to the land around these towns.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the area of Tyre and Sidon (New Century Version)
-or-
the region of Tyre and Sidon (God’s Word)

-or-

the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 16:14

16:14a–c

Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets: The disciples’ answer indicates that the people thought that Jesus was a prophet. They also thought that he was a prophet who had already died and had come back to life.

The ideas that the people had about Jesus show that no one was quite sure who he was. Many Jews thought that at the end of the world, God would raise up certain prophets for special reasons. Since people thought that Jesus was one of these prophets, they must have expected the end to come soon. But they apparently were not clear exactly who he was or what role he would play.

If people in your area are not familiar with these prophets, you may want to:

• Include some implied information. For example:

Some people say ⌊that you are⌋ John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah or some other prophet ⌊whom God has raised to life again⌋.

• Include a footnote. For example:

At the time Jesus asked the question, none of these prophets were alive. Many Jews thought that at the end of the world, God would raise up certain prophets like John the Baptist, Elijah or Jeremiah, for special reasons.

16:14a

Some say: The words “you are” are implied. In some languages, it may be natural to make these words explicit. For example:

Some ⌊people⌋ say ⌊that you are⌋
-or-
Certain ⌊people⌋ think ⌊that you are⌋

John the Baptist: You should translate John the Baptist here as you did in 3:1a.

16:14b

others say: These words indicate that people had different ideas about who Jesus was. A second group of people thought that Jesus was the prophet Elijah.

The words “you are” are implied. In some languages, it may be natural to make these words explicit. For example:

other ⌊people⌋ say/think ⌊that you are⌋

Elijah: Elijah was a prophet who lived more than 500 years before Jesus. In some languages, it may be natural to make this more explicit. For example:

⌊the prophet⌋ Elijah

16:14c

and still others: These words indicate that there was a third opinion. A third group of people thought that Jesus was the prophet Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. In English, one way to indicate a third group is with the word still like the Berean Standard Bible.

The words “you are” are implied. In some languages, it may be natural to make these words explicit. For example:

and other ⌊people⌋ say/think ⌊that you are⌋

Jeremiah: Jeremiah was a prophet who lived more than 500 years before Jesus. In some languages, it may be natural to make this more explicit. For example:

⌊the prophet⌋ Jeremiah

or one of the prophets: John the Baptist, Elijah and Jeremiah were prophets. So this phrase refers to other prophets.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

some other prophet (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 17:18

17:18a

Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy: It is only at this point in the story that we clearly see that a demon was causing the epilepsy in 17:15b. The demon was in the boy. Jesus rebuked this demon and caused it to leave the boy.

In some languages, it may be necessary to include some implied information here. For example:

Jesus rebuked the demon ⌊who was causing the epilepsy⌋, and it came out of the boy.
-or-
There was a demon in the boy ⌊making him shake⌋. Jesus ordered the demon to leave, and it left.

rebuked: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rebuked means “commanded,” “ordered,” or “spoke sternly” to the demon.

For example:

commanded (New Century Version)
-or-
ordered (God’s Word)

the demon: The word demon refers to a spirit being who was once an angel, but who rebelled against God. A demon is also referred to as “evil spirit.” These evil spirits can control peoples’ actions and can make them sick. A demon is not the spirit of a dead person.

Here are some other ways to translate demon:

• Use a general term in your language that refers to a spirit that is evil and can control people. For example:

a demon
-or-
a devil

• Use a specific term in your language that refers to a certain type of spirit. Do not use a term that refers to the spirit of a dead person.

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

an evil spirit

This word also occurs at 11:18b.

it came out of the boy: The words came out refer to exiting from inside something else. It is like someone coming out of a house.

The Greek text does not indicate that anyone saw the demon come out of the boy. The effect on the boy showed that the demon came out.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

the demon went out of the boy
-or-
the demon exited the child

17:18b

and he was healed from that moment: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from that moment indicates that the boy was healed immediately. There was no delay between the exiting of the demon and the healing.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

At that moment the boy was cured. (God’s Word)

This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

the boy was immediately cured

• Use another type of verb. For example:

right away, the boy became well

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 18:23

Paragraph 18:23–25

18:23a

Because of this: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Because of this is more literally “because of this.” This phrase introduces a parable about forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven. The parable illustrates that when God forgives a person for his many sins, that person must forgive his fellow man for his few sins. If he does not forgive, God will judge him. This parable is closely related to Jesus’s command in verses 21–22 to forgive 77 times.

Here are some other ways to introduce this parable:

• Use a connecting word or phrase. For example:

Because this ⌊is true⌋
-or-

⌊You must forgive like that⌋ because
-or-
In order to ⌊make clear why you should do this⌋

• Leave the connection between Jesus’ command and the parable implied. For example:

This story will show you what the kingdom of heaven is like (Contemporary English Version)

the kingdom of heaven: The phrase kingdom of heaven has the same meaning as the phrase “kingdom of God.” This phrase also occurs in 18:1b. You should translate it the same way in both places. For example:

• As a noun. For example:

the kingdom of God
-or-
God’s kingship
-or-
God’s rule over people
-or-
the rule of ⌊the one/Lord who lives in⌋ heaven

• As a verbal expression. For example:

the way God rules his people
-or-
the way God cares for his people as king

is like: The phrase is like indicates that Jesus was going to compare one thing with another. He compared the kingdom of God (in particular forgiveness in the kingdom), to the forgiveness of the king in the parable.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

is like ⌊this⌋
-or-
is like ⌊this parable:⌋

18:23b

a king: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a king is more literally “a man a king.” This means “a man who was a king.” In most languages, it will not be necessary to translate the word “man.”

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

a certain king/chief

who wanted: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wanted indicates that the king had made a decision.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

who decided (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
who wished (English Standard Version)

to settle accounts: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as accounts refers to financial records. Usually these records were debts that need to be repaid. So the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to settle refers to arrangements to pay off those debts.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to collect the money his servants owed him (New Century Version)
-or-
to ask his workers to pay him the money that they owed him

with his servants: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servants also means slaves. It usually refers to people who were owned by someone else. Many slaves in that time had absolutely no authority. But if they were slaves of a rich person, and if they were capable people, they could be given great responsibility.

In this context, this word refers to people who were in charge of the king’s finances. In some languages, it may be better to use a word other than “servant” or “slave.” For example:

his ⌊important⌋ workers

-or-

his officials (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 19:20

19:20a

All these I have kept:
As in 19:17c, the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as kept means “obeyed” or “followed.” The context implies that the young man felt that he had always followed all these commandments.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I have obeyed all these commandments (Good News Translation)
-or-
I have ⌊carefully⌋ followed all of those ⌊commands/laws⌋

the young man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as young man refers to a relatively young man. He was perhaps between the ages of 21 and 28. This is the same person who asked Jesus the question in 19:16a.

19:20b

What do I still lack?: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lack means “miss something that is to one’s benefit.” The young man asked what more he needed to do have eternal life (19:16).

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

What is still missing in my life? (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
What more do I need to do? (New Jerusalem Bible)

-or-

What else must I do? (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:22

20:22a

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as know means “have information about something.” The disciples asked for these positions of authority without fully knowing what it might mean to have them. By asking to have authority with Jesus, they were asking to suffer with him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

You do not understand what you are asking (Revised English Bible)
-or-
You don’t realize what you’re asking. (God’s Word)

You do not know what you are asking: In Greek, You do not know and you are asking are plural. The mother alone asked Jesus a question, but Jesus responded to the two sons. It is possible that he included the mother in his response. But because the two men answered in 20:22c, it is best to understand Jesus’ response as addressed to the sons. If your language has both plural and dual pronouns, you should use dual pronouns here.

20:22b

Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?:
The expression drink the cup is a complex figure of speech. The cup represents the contents of the cup. The expression drink the cup compares suffering with drinking the contents of a cup. This metaphor was used in the Old Testament to represent suffering.

In this context, Jesus used this figure of speech to refer to the suffering that he would experience. In other words, Jesus asked the disciples if they were able to suffer in the same way that he would suffer.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

• Keep the metaphor and clearly show that the word cup represents the contents of the cup. For example:

Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from? (Contemporary English Version)

• Keep the metaphor but make explicit the meaning of the word cup. For example:

Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink? (Good News Translation)

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning of cup explicit. For example:

Can you ⌊suffer with me⌋, as though we drank ⌊suffering⌋ from the same cup?

• State the meaning directly. For example:

Can you endure the suffering that I will experience?

The word “cup” is used as a figure of speech in various places in both the Old and New Testaments. If it is not possible to use this figure of speech in your language, you may want to add a footnote that gives the literal meaning. Here is a sample footnote:

What Jesus literally said was, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” The phrase “drink the cup” is a metaphor. In the Old Testament it often referred to the experience of suffering or of punishment from God. Here it refers to the suffering that Jesus was about to experience.

Can you: This Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Can you means “Do you have the capacity to do something.”

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

Is it possible for you
-or-
Are you capable
-or-
Do you have the strength/power

I am going to drink: In Greek, this clause is more literally “that I am about to drink.” The Greek word that means “about to” indicates that this would happen in the near future.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

that I am about to drink (NET Bible)
-or-
that I am soon to drink

20:22c

We can: In some languages, it may be natural to add the word “Yes” here. For example:

Yes, we are able

We: If your language has both inclusive and exclusive pronouns, the pronoun We should be exclusive here. If your language has both plural and dual pronouns, the pronoun We should be dual here.

can: The verb can is the same verb as in 20:22b. You should translate it the same way in both places. For example:

Is it possible
-or-
We are capable

-or-

We have the strength/power

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:20

22:20

And: In Greek, this conjunction connects two events or things. Here is connects 22:19 and 22:20. Some English versions do not translate it.

Here are some other ways to connect these two verses:

Then (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
So

Jesus said to them: The Greek text here does not have the name Jesus. It only has the 3rd person marking on the verb. However, some English versions supply the name Jesus to be clear. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

he said to them (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
he asked them (New International Version)

Whose likeness: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as likeness refers to anything made to be in the form or appearance of something else. The Roman denarius had a picture of the emperor stamped on one side. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Whose picture (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Whose face (God’s Word)

and inscription: The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates as inscription refers to the letters or writing that was on the coin. Around the picture on the coin was written the abbreviation of the emperor’s title. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

title (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
name (Good News Translation)

is this: The word this indicates that Jesus held the coin up and pointed to the image and letters on it. Because there are two things he pointed to, some English versions translate this as a plural. For example:

are these (Good News Translation)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 14:25

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 15:21

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 16:14

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 17:18

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 18:23

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 19:20

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 20:22

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 22:20

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