amazed / astonished / marvel

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The Greek that is translated as “astonished” or “amazed” or “marvel” in English is translated in Pwo Karen as “stand up very tall.” (In John 5:20, source: David Clark)

Elsewhere it is translated as “confusing the inside of the head” (Mende), “shiver in the liver” (Uduk, Laka), “to lose one’s heart” (Mískito, Tzotzil), “to shake” (Southern Bobo Madaré), “to be with mouth open” (Panao Huánuco Quechua) (source: Bratcher / Nida), “to stand with your mouth open” (Citak) (source: Stringer 2007, p. 120), “ceasing to think with the heart” (Bulu), “surprise in the heart” (Yamba) (source for this and one above: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. ), or “have one’s mouth full” (Maan (source: Don Slager).

In Mark 5:20 and elsewhere where the astonishment is a response to listening to Jesus, the translation is “listen quietly” in Central Tarahumara, “forget listening” (because they were so absorbed in what they heard that they forgot everything else) in San Miguel El Grande Mixtec, “it was considered very strange by them” in Tzeltal (source: Bratcher / Nida), “in glad amazement” (to distinguish it from other kinds of amazement) (Quetzaltepec Mixe) (source: Robert Bascom), or “breath evaporated (or “escaped”)” (Mairasi) (source: Enngavoter 2004).

In Western Dani astonishment is emphasized with direct speech. In Mark 1:22, for instance, it says: “Wi!” yinuk, pi wareegwaarak — “They were all amazed, saying ‘Oh'” (source: Lourens De Vries in The Bible Translator 1992, p. 333ff. )

In Low German it is translated as grote Oken maken or “make big eyes” (sometime followed by: un kreegn dat Stillswiegen: “and became silent”) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

In the Kölsch translation (Boch 2017) it is translated as brummte de Lück de Kopp or “the heads of the people buzzed,” Bauklötz jestaunt, lit. “marvel toy blocks,” and vür Staune de Muhl nit mieh zojekräch or “so full of marvel that they couldn’t close their mouths again.”

In the Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012) it is often translated as baff vor staune or “speechless because of their marvel.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

See also amazed and astonished, astonished (Mark 6:51), and I’m astonished.

complete verse (Matthew 12:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 12:23:

  • Uma: “The people who saw that were astonished, with the result that they asked one another, they said: ‘Maybe He is the Redeemer King the descendant of King Daud that was promised long ago!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “All the people wondered and they said, ‘Is this the descendant of Sultan Da’ud?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The many people were amazed. They said, ‘Maybe he is the prophesied descendant of King David.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The people were extremely surprised and they said, ‘Is this perhaps the descendant of David that we are waiting for?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “All who saw it really were amazed. They were saying, ‘Surely this is that one God promised who would come from the descendants of king David.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All the people were astounded when they saw what Jesus did. They said: ‘But he must be the descendant of David who is to take up his work or isn’t he?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 12:23

All the people (so also New Jerusalem Bible) is literally “all the crowds.” Both Good News Translation: (“The crowds”) and New English Bible (“The bystanders”) introduce the component of “all” in conjunction with the verb phrase “were all amazed.”

This is the only place where the verb amazed is found in Matthew’s Gospel (literally “were beside themselves”). It occurs quite frequently in Luke’s writings: three times in the Gospel and eight times in Acts. Elsewhere in the New Testament it is used once in 2 Corinthians and four times in Mark. Some languages may require the express mention of an object following the verb amazed: “at what Jesus had done” (Good News Translation). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch accomplishes the same goal through a German idiomatic expression: “Therefore the crowds fell into amazement.” It is possible to combine what was done in Good News Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “As a result of what Jesus had done, the crowds became amazed.”

The text says that people said. “Asked themselves” or even “asked each other” may be better here.

Can this be the Son of David? translates a question form which normally would expect a negative reply. But it may also be used on occasion to indicate no more than an expression of uncertainty: “Is he perhaps…?” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). “Can it be that…?” or “Is it possible he is…?” are other ways to render this.

Son of David was a popular title for the promised Savior King (see comments on 1.1; 9.27); his appearance would be a sign that the long-awaited salvation had at last arrived. As in 1.1, this may be translated “the descendant of (King) David.” However, if possible, it is good to indicate it is a title: “the one who is called Descendant of David.” Another way to express it is “the Descendant of David we look for.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 12:23

12:23a

The crowds were astounded: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as astounded is an idiom. Its literal meaning is “stood outside ⌊themselves⌋.” The people were often surprised at Jesus’ miracles (as in 9:33b). This idiom indicates that they were even more surprised than normal.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

were astonished (New International Version)
-or-
were very surprised

In some languages, it may be natural to say what amazed the people. For example:

were very amazed ⌊by what Jesus did⌋
-or-

⌊This miracle⌋ really surprised the people

asked: The people probably spoke the following words to each other and not directly to Jesus. But they probably spoke them publicly because the Pharisees heard them (12:24a).

In some languages, it may be natural to make some of this information explicit For example:

said ⌊to one another⌋

12:23b

Could this be the Son of David?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise and uncertainty. Jesus was not the type of Messiah that the people were expecting. However, he did things that only the Messiah could do. So the people were confused. They were not certain that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, but they were beginning to think that maybe he was. It was a surprising thought.

Here are some other ways to translate this surprise and uncertainty:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Is it possible that this man is the Son of David?

• As a statement. For example:

Perhaps this man is the Son of David! (New Century Version)

this: The word this refers to Jesus. Some languages may need a noun to go with the word this. For example:

this man (God’s Word)

the Son of David: This phrase is a title that the Jews used to refer to the Messiah. God had promised that the Messiah would be a descendant of David (Isaiah 9:6–7, 11:1–5, Jeremiah 23:5). In some languages, it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

the Descendant of ⌊King⌋ David

-or-

the ⌊promised⌋ Son/Descendant of ⌊King⌋ David

In some languages, it may be helpful to add a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:

God promised that one of King David’s descendants would be the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6–7, 11:1–5, Jeremiah 23:5). The Jews were expecting this promised person to come, and they referred to him by the title “Son of David.”

This phrase also occurs in 9:27b. You should translate it here as you did there.

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