complete verse (Luke 8:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:15:

  • Noongar: “Seeds falling on the good ground resemble people: they hear the Word and hold the truth in their hearts, good and straight hearts, and they become strong and bear fruit.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘The seed that falls in fertile ground stands for people who hear the Word of God, and that word they hold with straightness and holiness of heart. They endure/keep-on following the Word of God, until there is purpose to their lives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And what is broadcasted on the good land is a figure for the people who hear the word of God and have a good and pliable liver. They really cherish the word in their liver and they really persevere to follow it, therefore like plants figuratively they bear fruit, that means they have good results/outcome.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now as for that which was planted which fell on the good soil, the interpretation of that is people who hear the Word of God and they receive it; they obey it and they continue obeying it until the Word of God does great good for them.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for that which fell on the good soil, those are the ones who hear the word of God and store it in their good and made-up minds and they continue to believe until the word has results in their lives.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And this, this which is meant by the good soil which is scattered on, it’s the people who’s nature/ways are good, who truly believe/obey the word of God which they hear. Well since they store it well in their head, and persevere to obey it, that’s why their(emph.) belief/obeying fruits well.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

word / command (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kotoba (みことば) or “word (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Luke 8:15

Exegesis:

to de en tē kalē gē ‘but that (which is) in good soil.’ Same structure as in v. 14.

houtoi eisin hoitines en kardia kalē kai agathē akousantes ton logon katechousin ‘they are those who, having heard with a good and true heart, keep the word.’ The phrase en kardia kalē kai agathē goes either with akousantes (cf. New English Bible), or with katechousin (cf. Revised Standard Version), preferably the former because of its place immediately before akousantes. en has here instrumental meaning. kalē and agathē may perhaps be interpreted as reinforcing each other and rendered ‘truly good’ (cf. Grundmann).

katechō here ‘to keep,’ of the Gospel message, as in 1 Cor. 11.2; 15.2; cf. Heb. 10.23.

karpophorousin en hupomonē ‘they bear fruit with patience.’ karpophoreō.

hupomonē ‘patience,’ ‘perseverance,’ ‘constancy,’ especially in trial and tribulation (cf. 21.19). en hupomonē refers to the attitude of him who bears fruit.

Translation:

Hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, preferably, ‘hear the word in an honest … heart, and hold it fast.’ The prepositional phrase gives to the hearing a deeper meaning, indicating the heart as the means for considering and assimilating what is heard. To hold fast, i.e. to retain faithfully, to keep and obey. Honest and good, a pair of closely synonymous adjectives; hence, ‘truly/really/very good,’ cf. also “in the true goodness of their hearts” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation).

Bring forth fruit, or, ‘bear fruit,’ or non-metaphorically, ‘produce results.’

With patience, or, “by their perseverance” (New English Bible), ‘because they have held through’ (Sranan Tongo), and with a further shift, “persist until they bear fruit” (Good News Translation). Patience in the sense of ‘perseverance,’ ‘steadfastness’ has been rendered, ‘firmness/toughness of heart’ (Bahasa Indonesia RC, Tae’), or by an expression built on ‘brave’ (Marathi).

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:15

8:15a

But: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here introduces the last example in a series, the one that is different from the rest. In some languages a conjunction may not be needed. Introduce this example in a natural way in your language.

the seeds on good soil are those: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the seeds on good soil introduces what happens when seeds fall on good ground. This general situation, not just the seeds, represents people who hear God’s message. Some ways to translate this are:

When seeds fall on good soil, it is like when people hear ⌊God’s message⌋…
-or-
The picture of the seeds ⌊scattered⌋ on good soil represents ⌊the kind of⌋ people who hear ⌊God’s message⌋…

are those: For the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as are, some English versions use a fuller phrase because that is natural style in English. For example:

stands for those (New International Version)

8:15b

with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it: The phrase a noble and good heart describes people who keep the word of God in their hearts/minds. There are two views about exactly what a noble and good heart describes here:

(1) It describes the manner in which the people retain the word. Most English versions express this idea by using an idiom that seems to express location. For example:

The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart… (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, King James Version, God’s Word, NET Bible)

(2) It describes the character of the people who hear the word. They have noble and good hearts. For example:

And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it… (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). However, the two interpretations are not very different, because people who retain God’s message in good and noble hearts must have good and noble hearts.

In this context the word heart is an idiom to describe the manner in which these people retain God’s word. Other ways to translate with a noble and good heart…cling to it are:

hold to it in a noble and good way
-or-
cling to it with honesty and goodness
-or-
keep thinking about it well and honestly

noble and good heart: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as noble and good are very close in meaning. Jesus had already used each of these Greek words alone to describe the soil as “good soil” (8:8a and 8:15a). The two words are probably used together here for emphasis. Both words can be used to describe many types of goodness. You should use a word or phrase in your language that is natural to describe a good way to cling to God’s word.

Some ways to translate noble and good heart here are:

• Use two different words for “good.” Some examples in English could be:

in a good and fitting/proper way
-or-
in a manner that is right and good
-or-
carefully and honestly

• Use one word or phrase that emphasizes the meaning of the Greek phrase. For example:

in a truly/very good way
-or-
with great carefulness
-or-
just as they should

heart: See the note on “hearts” at 8:12b.

hear the word, cling to it: The Greek phrases that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hear the word, cling to it are literally “hearing the word, retain (it).” The verb “retain” is the main verb. It indicates that retaining the word is the action that is in focus here. Indicate that in a natural way in your language.

cling to it: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cling to it means “keep it” or “hold fast to it.” In this context, this indicates that the people remember it and continue to think about it and believe it. These people do not forget or discard the message from God that they have heard. They value it and treasure it.

8:15c

by persevering produce a crop: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by persevering is literally “in patience/perseverance.” It describes someone who patiently perseveres in spite of difficulties. In this context it describes people who patiently continue to believe God’s message and obey it. The result of this persevering is that they produce a crop, that is, God’s message produces good results through them. This contrasts with the people in 8:13–14 who stopped believing God’s message.

produce a crop: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as produce a crop can also be translated as “bring forth fruit.” This is a metaphor. Jesus does not identify what the crop or “fruit” refers to. It probably refers to good deeds that are the result of believing and obeying God’s message.

Some other ways to translate produce a crop here are:

• Use a simile. For example:

they ⌊are like plants that⌋ produce fruit/grain for harvest

• Make the meaning more explicit. For example:

like plants that produce fruit, they produce good results
-or-
they live/act according to God’s message
-or-
they live in a way that pleases God

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