8:38

This verse shows a contrast between the sinful and unfaithful people who were alive then and the holy angels who will be with the Son of Man when he comes. Express this contrast in a natural way in your language.

8:38a–b

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation: There are different ways to understand how the phrase in this adulterous and sinful generation connects with its context:

(1) This phrase is connected to the verb is ashamed. It describes the situation or time in which any follower of Christ might be ashamed. He is ashamed in an adulterous and sinful generation in front of people of that generation. For example, the Contemporary English Version has:

Don’t be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people!

(New International Version, Good News Bible, Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible)

(2) This phrase is connected to the word anyone. It describes who is ashamed. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible has:

if anyone in this sinful and adulterous generation is ashamed of me and of my words

(New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). For ways to reorder these verse parts, see the General Comment on 8:38a–b at the end of the note on 8:38b.

8:38a

In Greek, 8:38 begins with a conjunction that the Revised Standard Version translates as “For.” This conjunction introduces the fact that a person who chooses to avoid shame in the present life will be shamed at the final judgment. The Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions do not translate this conjunction. Connect this verse to the context in a natural way in your language.

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words: This clause describes a person who refuses to become Jesus’ disciple and follow his teachings because he feels ashamed in front of other people. He is unwilling to acknowledge that he follows Jesus because he is afraid that others will mock him.

In your translation, avoid suggesting that Jesus might have done something wrong that would cause someone to be ashamed.

Here are some other ways to translate If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words:

If anyone is ashamed to become my disciple and to believe/obey my words
-or-
If anyone is not willing to acknowledge me as his master and to obey what I teach because people would humiliate him

My words: The phrase My words refers to what Jesus has said, that is, to his teachings.

8:38b

this adulterous and sinful generation: Jesus used the word adulterous here in a figurative way. He described the people who were alive at that time as adulterous because they had abandoned their covenant relationship with God. They were unfaithful to God, as a woman who commits adultery is unfaithful to her husband.

In some languages this figure of speech may be misunderstood to refer literally to sexual sin. If that is true in your language, here are other options for translation:

• Use a simile. For example:

you people living today who are unfaithful to God like an adulterous/unfaithful wife

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

these unfaithful and sinful people

this…generation: In this context, the phrase this…generation refers to all the adults who lived at the same time as Jesus. So he was not referring to only the people listening to him.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the people of this day
-or-
the people who live now

See how you translated generation in 8:12b.

General Comment on 8:38a–b

In some languages it may be necessary to translate the idea of “unfaithful” with a verb phrase. It may also be necessary to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

38bThe people who are living now have left/abandoned their belief in God. They are thoroughly sinful. 38aIf anyone is ashamed to acknowledge me and my words 38bamong such people…

8:38c

the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him: This part of the verse indicates that Jesus, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of any person who was ashamed to be known as his follower. In this context, for Jesus to be ashamed of someone does not mean that Jesus will feel embarrassed. It means that Jesus will deny that such a person belongs to him. He will be unwilling to say that such a person was his disciple. See how you translated ashamed in 8:38a.

the Son of Man: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Son of Man is literally “the Son of the human/person.” It is a title that Jesus often used to refer to himself. It implies that:

(a) he was a true human being, and he represented all people.

(b) he came from God and had authority from God.

Here are some other ways to translate this title:

the Man whom God Sent
-or-
the True Man from God/Heaven
-or-
the Representative of Mankind
-or-
The Older Brother of All People

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate explicitly that Jesus was referring to himself here. For example:

I, the Son of Man

See the note on 8:31b for more information.

8:38d

when He comes in His Father’s glory: The phrase when He comes in His Father’s glory refers to the time when Jesus will return to earth. He will come with the same glory that God his Father has.

in His Father’s glory: The phrase in His Father’s glory means here that Jesus will have or show the glory of his Father. When people see him, they will recognize the same power, greatness and brightness that his Father has.

Father: God is called the Father of Jesus because Jesus has the same nature as God. This way to refer to God also indicates that the relationship between God and Jesus is similar in some way to the relationship of human fathers and sons. God does not have a physical body, and he did not create/produce Jesus in the way a human father produces a son.

glory: In the Old Testament, God’s glory often refers to the impressive bright light that people saw when God was present with them. This brightness symbolized how powerful and majestic God was. When it is applied to Jesus in the New Testament, the word glory sometimes refers in general to his divine character or attributes. Sometimes, as here, the word glory refers specifically to his power and greatness or to his dazzling brightness.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase in his Father’s glory:

with the majesty/greatness of his Father
-or-
showing the brightness and power of my Father

See also the word glory in the Glossary for more information.

when He comes…with the holy angels: This phrase indicates that Jesus will come back to earth accompanied by angels who are sent with him by God.

holy angels: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as angels means “messengers.” The phrase holy angels refers to spirit beings who serve God. Sometimes he sends them as messengers or has them serve him in other ways. In this context God will send them to accompany Jesus.

The angels are holy because they are dedicated to God. They are also holy because they are pure. In some languages the term for angels already includes one of these ideas.

Here are some other ways to translate holy angels:

• Use a descriptive word or phrase. For example:

messengers from God/heaven
-or-
good/holy spirit-beings

• Use a local term that fits the biblical meaning.

• In some areas the churches may already be using a borrowed term or a transliterated word for “angel.” If you use this term, you may need to indicate the meaning and add the idea of holy. For example:

an angelos messenger from God
-or-
a sacred angelos spirit

Be sure that your term for “angel” is different from your terms for “prophet” and “apostle.” See angel, Meaning 1, in the Glossary for a chart that shows the differences in these three terms.

General Comment on 8:38d

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of words or phrases in this verse. For example, the God’s Word says:

when he comes with the holy angels in his Father’s glory

It may also be helpful to start 8:38d with a new sentence. For example:

This will happen when he comes

General Comment on 8:38a–d

In 8:38a, Jesus referred to himself with forms like “me” and “my.” In 8:38c–d he purposely used different forms and spoke of himself as the “Son of Man” and “he.” If this is confusing in your language, you may need to continue to use forms like “me” and “my” in the whole verse, as the New Living Translation, 1996 edition does:

If a person is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, , the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when return in the glory of my Father with the holy angels.

Section 9:2–13

Three disciples saw Jesus’ glory

In 8:27–30 Peter stated that Jesus was the Christ. In 8:31–38 Jesus told the disciples about his future suffering, death, and resurrection. Then in 9:2–13 God caused Jesus to be glorified for a short time. Peter, James, and John saw this.

During that time, Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. Peter suggested building shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. God showed these disciples that Jesus was greater than the great prophets Moses and Elijah, because Jesus was God’s Son.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

God shows three disciples who Jesus really is
-or-
Jesus shone brightly
-or-
The glory of Jesus was shown to three disciples
-or-
The change of/in Jesus’ appearance

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 17:1–12 and Luke 9:28–36.

Paragraph 9:2–4

9:2a

After six days: The phrase After six days indicates that six days passed after the events in Mark 8:27–9:1. Then the events of this paragraph began. The Good News Bible says:

Six days later

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as:

A week later

Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John: In this context, the phrase took with Him implies that Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to go with him. They went willingly with Jesus. In some languages, it may be more natural to say:

Jesus told Peter, James and John to go along with him

took: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took is closely connected to the verb “led” in 9:2b. In some languages it may be natural to use only that verb here. For example:

Jesus led Peter, James, and John up…

with Him: The words with Him may be left implied in some languages. For example, the New Century Version says:

he took Peter, James and John

9:2b

led them up: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as led…up indicates that the disciples followed Jesus up the mountain.

In some languages, it may be more natural to say:

they followed him up
-or-
they climbed together up

up a high mountain: The text does not indicate that the men went to the very top of the mountain. They went up high enough to get away from other people. (No one knows which mountain the men climbed. If they were still near Caesarea Philippi, the mountain was probably about 2,800 meters (9,000 feet) high. However, some scholars believe that they were at a different location where the mountain was less than 600 meters (1,850 feet) high. If your language uses different words for mountains of different heights, you may choose one of these locations and use an expression for a mountain of that height.)

9:2c

by themselves: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by themselves are literally “themselves alone.”

Here are some other ways to translate this:

No one else was there. (New Living Translation, 1996 edition)
-or-
where they were all alone (New International Version)
-or-
where they were entirely alone (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

9:2d

There He was transfigured before them: The Berean Standard Bible supplies the word There to connect 9:2c and 9:2d. The Greek text has the common conjunction that is often translated as “and,” as in the Revised Standard Version. Use a natural way in your language to connect these parts of the verse. For example:

Then
-or-
Suddenly

The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as before them indicates that the three disciples saw Jesus as he was transfigured. Some English versions use this phrase as an introductory clause or phrase. For example:

As the men watched (New Living Translation)
-or-
There in their presence (New Jerusalem Bible)

He was transfigured: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was transfigured here means “was transformed/changed in appearance.” This transformation was good and glorious. Jesus shone very brightly. Matthew and Luke explain more of the changes. Matthew says that Jesus’ face shone like the sun.

Many cultures have terms to describe a major change in appearance. Often these changes have supernatural causes and purposes. If you consider using one of these terms, be sure that it does not communicate a wrong meaning. Jesus did not begin to look like someone else, and he did not become a different being. His appearance did not change in any bad way.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

his whole appearance was changed

The verb is passive. The implied subject is God: God transfigured Jesus. However, the focus is on what happened to Jesus and not on who did it.

If a passive verb is not natural in your language here, you may use an active verb. For example:

God changed Jesus’ whole appearance.
-or-
Jesus’ appearance became very different.
-or-
Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. (God’s Word)

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

9:34a

But: The conjunction But indicates a contrast. The contrast is that Jesus expected the disciples to answer his question, but the disciples did not answer.

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example, the God’s Word says:

They were silent.

they were silent: The phrase they were silent indicates that the disciples did not answer Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

they would not answer him (Good News Bible)
-or-
They said nothing (New Jerusalem Bible)

9:34b

for: The conjunction for introduces the reason that the disciples were quiet. In some languages, it will be more natural to put 9:34b before 9:34a. See the General Comment on 9:34a–c below for an example.

on the way: The Berean Standard Bible uses the phrase on the way to translate the same Greek phrase that is translated as “on the way” in 9:33c. You may want to use the same phrase in both places. If it is more natural in your language, you can omit this second mention of it.

they had been arguing about: It is implied that the disciples were ashamed of the topic that they had been arguing about. So they did not want to answer Jesus. You may need to make this information explicit. For example:

they did not want Jesus to know that they had argued about…
-or-
they were ashamed to tell him that they had argued concerning…

9:34c

which of them: The context implies that the word which of them refers to which one among the disciples. The New International Version, 2011 edition translates this as:

who

the greatest: The word greatest refers to having the highest status. The disciples wanted to know who among them was the most important person.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the most important
-or-
greatest in rank
-or-
highest in status/name
-or-
more important than all the others

General Comment on 9:34a–c

In this verse, 9:34b–c expresses the reason for the result in 9:34a. In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

34bBut they were ashamed to tell him that on the road, they had argued 34cabout who was the greatest. 34aSo they kept quiet.
-or-
34bOn the road, they had argued 34cabout who was the greatest. 34aSo they kept quiet out of shame.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 10:17–31

Jesus taught about entering the kingdom of God

A young man asked Jesus how he could obtain eternal life. Jesus gave an answer that was well known to Jews. He told the man to obey God’s commands. The man said that he had been obeying God’s commands since he was a child.

Jesus then told the young man that he still needed to do one thing (10:21). He needed to give away his riches and follow Jesus. But the young man did not follow Jesus’ advice. The man was rich (10:22). He valued his riches too highly to give them up to follow Jesus.

Jesus used the young man as an example to explain that it is hard for rich people to devote themselves to God and his kingdom (10:23–25). He said that unless God makes it possible, neither a rich person nor anyone else is able to enter heaven (10:27).

Jesus promised that those who had left their possessions and family behind to serve him would receive great rewards (10:29–31).

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus taught that riches make it difficult to obtain eternal life
-or-
A Rich Young Man’s Question (New Century Version)
-or-
The rich young man (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Riches hinder rather than help in seeking to enter the kingdom of God

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 19:16–30 and Luke 18:18–30.

Paragraph 10:17–22

10:17a

The events in the story in 10:17–31 happened sometime after the events in 10:13–16. 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 this is true in your language, use an expression here that is not too specific. For example:

Then
-or-
After that

In other languages, a time word or phrase is not necessary. Introduce this story in a natural way in your language.

As Jesus started on His way: The expression As Jesus started on His way indicates that Jesus began a journey. Soon after he started, the events in 10:17b occurred.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

As Jesus started to leave (New Century Version)
-or-
He was beginning a journey when

Jesus: Here the Greek text is literally the pronoun “he” (as in the Revised Standard Version). The pronoun “he” refers to Jesus. Since this is the beginning of a new section, it may be natural in your language to use the name Jesus here.

It is clear from 10:23 that Jesus’ disciples were with him. In some languages it may be clearer to make this information explicit here at the beginning of the story. For example:

Jesus and his disciples

10:17b

a man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a man is literally “one.” It refers to a man who is mentioned here for the first time in this story. Introduce him in a natural way in your language.

ran up: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ran up is literally “ran.” It indicates that the man ran to Jesus. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word up to make the clause sound more natural in English.

knelt before Him: The expression knelt before Him means to kneel or bow down in front of someone to show respect. It often indicates also that a person wanted to make an earnest request.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

knelt before him to show humility
-or-
bowed low before him

A similar expression occurs in 5:22b and 5:33b.

10:17c

Good Teacher: The phrase Good Teacher means “teacher who is morally good, upright, or holy.” It does not refer to a teacher who teaches well.

In some languages it may not be natural to use a description like “good” as part of a person’s title when you are addressing that person. If that is true in your language, you may want to put the word “good” in a different phrase. For example:

Sir teacher, you are a good person.

Teacher: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Teacher was a polite title for a Jewish religious leader. It was a title of respect for a Jewish man who had authority to teach the things about God. In some languages the appropriate way to address a religious teacher may be:

Sir Teacher
-or-
Sir
-or-
Master

Be careful not to use a term that can refer only to a school teacher. See how you translated this word in 4:38c or 9:17b.

he asked: The Berean Standard Bible places the words he asked in the middle of the man’s words. In Greek, he asked occurs before the man’s words. Put the words he asked in a place that is natural in your language.

what must I do to inherit eternal life?: This is a real question. The man was asking what religious duty or deed he should perform in order to receive eternal life.

Here are some other ways to translate this question:

…what can I do to have eternal life? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
…what deed should I do so that I may live eternally?

to inherit: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as inherit means “acquire, obtain.” The man wanted to know what deed would cause God to give him eternal life in heaven.

Here i another way to translate this:

so that I may receive

In some languages, it may be necessary to say from whom the man expected to obtain eternal life. If that is true in your language, you may need to supply the information that it is God who gives that life. For example:

so that God will give me eternal life

eternal life: The word eternal refers to something that does not end. The phrase eternal life refers to life in heaven with God.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

unending life
-or-
life that never ends

In some languages, a literal translation of eternal life would wrongly mean that the man hoped to live forever without dying. If that is true in your language, it may be necessary to supply some implied information. For example:

unending life in heaven
-or-
to live forever with God after I die

In some languages, it may be best to translate life as a verb. For example:

to live eternally/forever
-or-
so that God will cause me to live forever in heaven

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

10:49a

Jesus stopped: The phrase Jesus stopped means “Jesus stopped walking,” “Jesus halted,” or “Jesus stood still.” The text implies that Jesus stopped because he heard the blind man shouting. In some languages it may be necessary to make that explicit. For example:

When Jesus heard him, he stopped

and said: It is not clear to whom Jesus spoke here. It may have been to some of his disciples or to some of the people in the crowd. If it is necessary in your language to indicate this, use a general expression, such as:

and said to some of the people

10:49b

Call him: The words Call him indicate that Jesus wanted people to tell Bartimaeus to come to him. You may need to make that meaning more explicit here. For example, the New Century Version says:

Tell the man to come here.

General Comment on 10:49a–b

In some languages it may be natural to translate Jesus’ words here with indirect speech. For example:

Jesus stopped and told his followers to summon the man.

10:49c

So: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So is the common conjunction that is often translated as “and.” Here it introduces the people’s response to what Jesus told them to do in 10:49b. The Berean Standard Bible uses the word So to indicate that their response is the result of his command. The Revised Standard Version says “And.” Introduce the people’s response in a natural way in your language.

they called the blind man: Here Mark indicates that the people obeyed Jesus’ command to call Bartimaeus. In 10:49c Mark quoted what they said to him. Introduce these words in a way that is natural in your language.

they: The word they refers either to some of Jesus’ disciples or to some of the people in the crowd. Refer to them in a general way, as the Berean Standard Bible does with they or with a word like “people.”

called: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called is the same verb that Jesus used in 10:49a. It means to summon a person who may be some distance away.

10:49d

The people who called the blind man said three things to him. See the following notes.

Take courage!: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Take courage means literally “have courage” (as in the NET Bible).

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Take heart. (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Don’t be afraid! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Be brave!

If there is an idiom in your language to express the way the people were encouraging Bartimaeus, you could use it here. For example:

Good news!

they said: In the Greek text the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they said occurs at the beginning of this sentence. Place it where it is natural in your language.

Get up!: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Get up means “Stand up” or “Rise.” Bartimaeus was sitting by the road when the people told him to get up. This command is related to the information that Jesus was calling him. They wanted Bartimaeus to get up quickly so that he could go to Jesus.

He is calling for you: Jesus had told the people to call the blind man. He implied that they should tell the blind man to come to him. The people were the messengers, but Jesus himself was inviting the man to come. In some languages it may be more natural to use a direct or indirect quote here. For example:

He says, “Come.”
-or-
He says that you may come.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

12:37a

David himself calls Him ‘Lord’: David was a great king. Yet he referred to the Messiah as his Lord. So Jesus implied that the Messiah must be even greater than King David. In some languages it may be helpful to make it explicit that David was a king, a very important man:

King David himself called him ‘Lord.’

See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.

David himself: See the note on “David himself” in 12:36a for translation suggestions.

12:37b

So how can He be David’s son?: Here Jesus asked the people a question that was similar to the one that he asked in 12:35c. Even though Jesus knew the answer to his own question, he wanted his listeners to think about who the Messiah was.

The answer to this question is that the Messiah was both a descendant of David and David’s Lord. This suggests that the Messiah must be God as well as man. Jesus did not imply here that the Messiah was not David’s descendant. You may need to include a footnote here to show what Jesus was implying.

12:37c

the large crowd: There were very many people listening to Jesus at that time.

listened to Him with delight: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with delight is literally “gladly” or “happily.” It means that the people felt pleasure or delight when they listened to Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this sentence:

The large crowd enjoyed listening to Jesus teach. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
A large crowd was listening to Jesus gladly. (Good News Bible)

General Comment on 12:35–37

Notice that in these verses the Berean Standard Bible uses a quote which comes within another quote which itself comes in Jesus’ speech that Mark quoted. In 12:35b Mark began to quote the words of Jesus. In 12:36b Jesus began to quote what the psalm writer said. Then the psalm writer told what God himself had said (12:36c–d).

In some languages it may be confusing to use three sets of quote marks. If this is a problem in your language, you may be able to change some of the direct quotes to indirect quotes. Another solution may be to indent the Old Testament quotation and to use a colon instead of quotation marks. For example:

Because David himself said what the Holy Spirit caused him to speak, and this is what he said.

The Lord God said to my Lord: Sit here in the place of honor at my right side…

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 13:28–31

Jesus used fig trees as an example

In this section, Jesus used an example to help his disciples understand what he was teaching them. In his example, he reminded them about what happens to fig trees. At the end of the cold season, fig trees begin to produce buds and leaves. When people see that happen, they know that summer is near. In the same way, when the disciples see the events in 13:14–27 happen, they will know that Jesus will soon return.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

A Lesson from a Fig Tree (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The Parable of the Fig Tree (NET Bible)

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 24:32–35 and Luke 21:29–33. See also Matthew 5:18 and Luke 16:17.

Paragraph 13:28–31

At the beginning of this section, Jesus continued to speak to his disciples. In some languages it may be helpful to remind readers of this. For example:

Jesus continued to teach his disciples. He said…

13:28a

Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as Now introduces a new topic. In this context it is not a time word. Introduce this new topic in a way that is natural in your language.

learn this lesson from the fig tree: In some languages people do not speak of learning from inanimate things like fig trees. If this is true in your language, it may be necessary to express the meaning in a different way. For example:

consider/study
(plur) the fig tree and learn something from the way it grows

lesson: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lesson is literally “parable” (as in the New American Standard Bible). This Greek word can mean “parable,” “proverb,” “saying,” “illustration,” “story,” or “metaphor.” The context determines which of these meanings is appropriate. Jesus’ words about the fig tree are more like an illustration or example.

the fig tree: In this context Jesus was speaking about all fig trees. He was not referring to any particular tree. Be sure to use an appropriate form in your language. For example:

learn(plur) something from the illustration about fig trees.

The fig tree (In the Bible, the fig tree often represents the nation of Israel. In 11:13–14, 20–23, the fig tree seems to be a picture of the temple, the central place of Jewish worship.) was a very common tree in Israel. Fig trees normally produced small, edible fruit called figs. The trees were completely bare in winter and then sprouted buds, leaves, and figs in the spring.

If speakers of your language are not familiar with the fig tree, here are some other ways to translate it:

tree with a fruit called ‘fig’
-or-
fruit tree

The expression fig tree also occurs in 11:13a. See how you translated it there.

13:28b

As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves: This part of the verse introduces what happens when a fig tree develops new leaves after the winter season.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves (Good News Bible)
-or-
When its branches become green and soft and new leaves appear (New Century Version)

its branches: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as branches is also used in 4:32b. See how you translated it there.

become tender: In this context the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as become tender describes what happens to a branch before summer begins. Sap begins to flow through the branch, and it becomes more flexible. It is then ready to bud and sprout leaves. Consider whether you have special terms to describe this in your language.

and sprout leaves: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sprout leaves also means “its leaves begin to come out/grow.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

and new leaves appear (New Century Version)
-or-
and start putting out leaves (Contemporary English Version)

You should express this in a way that is natural in your language.

13:28c

you know: The word you here is plural and means “people in general.” Jesus, who was speaking, also knew when summer was near. So in some languages it may be more natural to say “we know.”

Here is another way to express this:

everyone knows

that summer is near: In the area where Jesus lived, summer is the time when plants and crops grow. It is also the hottest time of the year.

In this context, the word summer indicates that the tree will soon start growing leaves and fruit. It is more important to find a natural expression in your language for the growing season than to say whether the weather is hot or cold.

Here is are some other ways to express this:

that the rainy season is near
-or-
that the growing season is approaching

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

14:24a

He said to them: In Greek this verse begins with the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “He said to them.” The Berean Standard Bible puts this phrase at the beginning of 14:24 and the New International Version puts it at the end of 14:24. Place it where it is natural in your language. See the General Comment on 14:24a–d at the end of 14:24c for ways to reorder the parts of this verse.

14:24b–d

This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many: The words My blood…which is poured out for many refer to the fact that Jesus would bleed and die a sacrifice. The phrase blood of the covenant indicates that he would bleed and die in this way so that the new covenant could begin. (When God made a covenant with his people in the Old Testament, God told them to sacrifice an animal. He told them to sprinkle the animal’s blood on themselves. That would cause the covenant to begin. Through Jesus’ death, God was making a new covenant with his people. When Jesus died as a sacrifice for them, his blood would cause the new covenant to begin.) This covenant was God’s promise and agreement to save those who trust in Jesus as the sacrifice for their sins. (This is a promise from a stronger person (God) to a weaker person (man). It is similar to the promise God gave to Abraham (Genesis 15:18). The “new covenant” is different from the Old Testament covenants that depended on two people or groups each fulfilling their part of an agreement (Key Biblical Terms). An example of an Old Testament covenant is the agreement between God and Israel at Mount Sinai when God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. In English, people call this agreement at Mount Sinai “the old covenant” or “the old agreement” or “the old testament.”)

Here is one way to make some of this information explicit:

This wine is my blood. My blood will be poured out as a sacrifice on behalf of many people. It will confirm the covenant that God is making with his people.

blood of the covenant: The phrase of the covenant indicates that the covenant will be confirmed by Jesus’ blood. It indicates that the covenant is ratified, sealed or put into effect by means of the blood that Jesus shed when he died.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

which confirms the covenant between God and his people (New Living Translation)
-or-
that ratifies/seals God’s new covenant
-or-
and with it God makes his agreement (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
It causes God’s agreement with his people to go into effect

Many translators find an illustration helpful to understand the phrase “blood of the covenant.” The relationship between a signature and a proposed law is similar to the “blood of the covenant.” A proposed law cannot go into effect until a government leader signs it. In the same way, God’s new covenant did not take effect until Jesus’ blood “signed” or ratified it. See “covenant” in the Glossary.

14:24b

This is My blood: The word This refers to the wine that Jesus gave his disciples to drink. The phrase my blood refers to the blood that Jesus would shed when he died on the cross.

Churches have different views about exactly what the words This is my blood imply. Because of this, it is probably good to translate this clause literally.

14:24c

the covenant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as covenant means “agreement.” As part of this agreement, Jesus sacrificed his life to atone for people’s sins. Because of this sacrifice, God agreed or promised that he would forgive the people who trust in Jesus.

There is a textual issue in 14:24b that concerns the phrase the covenant:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have only covenant. This is followed by most English versions.

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

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have new covenant. This is followed by several English versions.

(King James Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This is the most likely text. However, the meaning of the word “new” is implied by the context. It may be good to include it if you need it to express the meaning in the most natural way in your language.

14:24d

which is poured out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as poured out here refers to blood flowing freely from the body of a person or animal. The Jews often used this expression as an idiom to refer to a violent death or to dying as a sacrifice. In this context it indicates that Jesus was sacrificing his own blood, his life, to atone for our sins.

In this context the phrase poured out also associates Jesus’ blood with wine. People can pour wine out of a cup, and Jesus would bleed as he suffered and died the next day. In some languages a verb like “pour” may only be used of pouring liquids from containers. Use a verb that is appropriate to describe the way a person bleeds. Since Jesus had not yet died at the time he said it, you may need to translate this as a future event. For example:

will flow out

for many: The phrase for many means “on behalf of many people.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

for the sake of many people
-or-
so that many people may be saved

many: There are different ways to interpret the word many here. It is a Semitic (Hebrew/Aramaic) idiom that can mean “all people.” Some scholars think that this refers to every one of the many people who trust Jesus as the sacrifice for their sins. Other scholars think that “all people” refers to everyone who has ever lived.

Because churches disagree about the meaning, it is recommended that you follow most English versions and translate it literally as “many” or “many people.” You may also want to consult the major language version in your area.

General Comment on 14:24a–d

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

24bThis wine is my blood. 24dMy blood will be poured out as a sacrifice on behalf of many people. 24cIt will confirm the covenant that God is making with his people, 24aJesus said to them.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.