parable

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The Greek that is usually translated as “parable” in English is translated in other languages in a number of ways:

In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “tell-a-story” and “compare.” (Source: Anna Smith)


“Parable” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as analogy because “the Greek word has the sense of tossing down something alongside something else. Hence an analogy.”

See also image and figures of speech.

complete verse (Matthew 13:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:18:

  • Uma: “‘Listen, I’ll tell you the meaning of the parable of the sower earlier.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Now really listen so that you understand as to what the meaning is of the parable about the person who broadcasts seed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus said again, ‘Think about the meaning of this parable about the person who planted.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Listen then so that I will tell the meaning of the parable concerning the one who went to broadcast seed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Now/today, listen to the meaning of this illustration about the planter-by-scattering.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the words I compared about the sower, listen well about this word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:18

Hear then is literally “You therefore hear,” in which “You” is placed in the position of emphasis, as is “your” in verse 16. Both New English Bible (“You, then, may hear…”) and Jerusalem Bible (“You, therefore, are to hear…”) reflect very closely the Greek sentence structure. The “You” refers to the disciples as opposed to the crowds of people who were thronging around Jesus.

A literal translation of the remainder of this verse is confusing, for it gives the impression to the reader that Jesus is about to tell the parable: Hear then the parable of the sower. Jesus is not calling upon his disciples to hear the parable again, but to understand its meaning. Good News Translation tries to bring this out by translating “Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “I will tell you what the parable of the sower means.”

It is interesting to note that there are languages, for example many in West Africa, where Hear commonly is used to mean “understand.” Readers will have little difficulty with a literal rendering. However, in most other cases something like Good News Translation or Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch will be better. Other possibilities are “Now, therefore, listen to the meaning…” or “Therefore you should listen now to the meaning….”

For comments on parable and sower, see Matthew 13.3.

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 13:18

Section 13:18–23

Jesus explained the parable of the man who sowed seeds

In this section, Jesus explained the meaning of the parable of the sower. As you translate this section, it is important to understand and remember the main elements in this parable and what they represent.

There are three main metaphors in this parable:

(a) The seed represents the message about the kingdom.

(b) The sowing of the seed represents telling the message to people.

(c) The four types of soil represents four types of people who hear the message.

The first type of soil is the soil along the path. This soil represents people whom Satan causes to forget the message of the kingdom. The second type of soil is the rocky soil. This soil represents people who initially accept the message, but when troubles or persecution happen to them, they quickly reject the message. The third type of soil is the thorny soil. This soil represents people who accept the message, but worries about daily living cause them to not do anything for God. Finally, the forth type of soil is the good soil. This soil represents people who hear and understand the message, and the message produces results in their lives.

In these verses, the Greek text sometimes keeps the metaphor and sometimes explains the meaning of the metaphor. For example 13:19c–d has: “the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” The words “snatches away what was sown” keep the metaphor of birds eating the grain that the farmer sowed. But the words “the evil one comes” explains the meaning of the metaphor of “birds” (13:4c).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus explained the parable of the four soils
-or-
The Parable of the Sower Explained (New Revised Standard Version)

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 4:13–20 and Luke 8:11–15.

Paragraph 13:18–23

13:18

Consider, then, the parable of the sower: These words introduce Jesus’ explanation of the meaning of this parable. Be careful to translate this clause in a way that does not give the impression that Jesus was going to tell the parable again. He was going to explain the meaning of the parable.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Listen to what the story about the farmer means. (God’s Word)

-or-

So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. (New Century Version)

then: This word is a conjunction that can also mean “therefore.”

Here is another way to translate this conjunction:

So (New Jerusalem Bible)

the parable: For help in translating this word, see the note in 13:3a.

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