kingdom (of God / heaven) (God's finalized creation in the future)

In the German Gute Nachricht (Good News) translation of 1982, this occurrence of the Greek term which is translated in most English versions of “kingdom (of God or heaven)” is translated with a form of “once God finalizes his creation (or “work”) . . . ” (Wenn Gott sein Werk vollendet . . .). For an explanation of the differentiated translation in German as well as translation choices in a number of languages, see Kingdom (of God / heaven).

complete verse (Matthew 13:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:19:

  • Uma: “The sowed-thing that fell in the middle [lit., eye] of the road means/stands-for people who hear the news that says how God becomes King, but they do not think-about/in-heart it. The evil-one(s) comes and grabs-away that word from their hearts.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The seeds that spilled onto the road is a figure of the people who hear the message about the ruling/kingdom of God but do not understand. So-then the leader of demons goes and snatches the message from the minds/thoughts of those people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there are people who hear the word about how God rules but they don’t understand it, they are like that which was planted which fell on the path. Satan appears, and he snatches away the word which they heard.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The seed that fell on the path, those are compared to people who hear concerning God’s ruling but they don’t understand. Whereupon Satanas goes and snatches from their minds the word that they heard.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those people who listened to the word of God about his kingdom but can’t understand it, they’re like the pathway that was scattered on with seed. Satanas can quickly/easily grab away this word which they heard.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The persons who only hear the word are compared to the path where the seeds landed. The people heard the word about entering into God’s hand, but they did not understand about this word. Then the devil went and he caused them to forget the word they heard.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

kingdom (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-kuchi (御国) or “kingdom (of God)” in the referenced verses. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also kingdom (of God / heaven).

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:19

Revised Standard Version offers a literal rendering of this verse, while Good News Translation makes a few noteworthy translational adjustments. For stylistic reasons any one is changed to the plural “Those who.” Then the last sentence in Greek (this is what was sown along the path) has been altered to a simile (“Those … are like…”) and joined to the first sentence in Good News Translation. Finally, the word of the kingdom has been made explicit: “the message about the Kingdom.” It may even be necessary to qualify the word of the kingdom more precisely: “there are people who have heard the Good News that God will establish his reign” (Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition). INCL has “… the news concerning God and his reign.” Translators should study these adjustments carefully, since in some cases they will be useful models to follow.

Whether to retain any one or use a plural will certainly depend on the receptor-language style.

As for the word of the kingdom, translators can follow the examples cited above from Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and INCL, or they may say “the news I give about God’s rule.”

Understand is the meaning followed by most all translators. But Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition renders “(do not) take (the message) seriously,” which is supported by both the immediate context and other contexts in which the verb is found. Another attempt that has been made to render understand is “make it part of his understanding.” Since this is a fairly high level of language, others have said instead “understand it completely” or “try sincerely to understand it.” Note that all these examples are attempting to include in the translation an element of willingness on the part of the hearer.

The evil one appears as “Satan” in the Marcan parallel (4.15). For some readers it may be necessary to make the identity explicit: “the Evil One, that is, Satan” or “…, that is, the Devil.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “God’s enemy comes.” Readers should see also comments at 4.1 and 5.37.

Snatches away can be “takes away” or “grabs and carries off.”

In his heart: in Hebrew thought the heart was the instrument used for thinking and willing, and so both New American Bible and An American Translation render “mind.” In the present context the meaning is sufficiently expressed by “in them” or “within them,” since the analogy is that of the word placed in the heart in the same way that seed is placed in the soil.

The expression what is sown in his heart may or may not be readily comprehensible. If the image simply is not clear, then translators can say “the message that he heard” or “the true word that was put in his heart (or, mind).” To avoid a passive construction, translators can also say “that God put in him.” However, it is obviously better to retain the imagery of the parable, so that “the word God sowed in his heart” or “the message planted in them” and similar sentences are better solutions. Note that sown can be “planted.”

As noted above, this is what was sown along the path is translated as a simile in Good News Translation. This shift from a metaphor to a simile by the inclusion of “are like” simplifies the understanding of the text. In fact, in some languages the shift to a simile will be obligatory. But even this adjustment does not resolve one major contradiction which causes difficulty for numerous readers. That is, the seed is identified with the hearers, whereas the true equation is that the seed is the message. The parable makes sense only if the soil is identified with the hearers. And this problem may be resolved if this is what was sown along the path is taken to mean “This kind of person is represented by the picture of the seed sown on the side of the road” (Barclay) or “This is like the seed sown by the road-side” (Phillips). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch resolves the problem by translating “With them it is like the seed which fell on the road.” Another way many translators have used is “When that happens, it is just like when some of the seed fell along the path.”

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 13:19

13:19

Before you translate 13:19, carefully consider the most natural way in your language to order the clauses. In some languages, it will be more natural to put 13:19e first. Putting this clause first will follow the same order as in 13:20, 13:22, and 13:23. Compare the example below:

aWhen anyone hears the word of the kingdom band does not understand it, cthe evil one comes and snatches away dwhat has been sown in his heart. eThis is what was sown along the path. (English Standard Version)
-or-

eThe path/road that the seeds fell upon represents apeople who hear the message about the kingdom, bbut they do not understand its meaning. cThen the evil one comes and causes them to forget dthe message they heard.

13:19a

When anyone hears the message: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as message is more literally “word,” but also means “talk,” “news.”

In some languages, it may be natural to use the plural “people” instead of a singular noun. For example:

When some people hear the word
-or-
Those who hear the message (Good News Translation)

the kingdom: The word kingdom refers to “the kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” as Matthew often wrote. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

the kingdom ⌊of God⌋
-or-

⌊God’s⌋ rule/kingship

For advice on translating the phrase “the kingdom of God,” see the note at 12:28b.

13:19b

but does not understand it: There is a contrast here that the Berean Standard Bible indicates with the conjunction but. The contrast is between hearing the message and understanding it.

13:19c

the evil one: This phrase refers to Satan. He is compared to birds (in 13:4c) who come and eat the seed along the path.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Translate this phrase literally and include a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:

“The evil one” refers to Satan, the leader of demons.

• Include the name Satan in the text. For example:

the evil one, ⌊namely⌋ Satan,
-or-
Satan, the evil one,

• Use the name only. For example:

Satan

snatches away: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as snatches away means “remove forcefully.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

• Keep the metaphor of a bird and Satan taking away the seed. For example:

grabs
-or-
seizes
-or-
takes away (New Century Version)

• Explain the meaning of the metaphor. Satan snatches away the seed/word in the sense that he makes the person “forget” what they have heard. For example:

causes them to forget

13:19d

what was sown in his heart: This phrase explains what Jesus meant in 13:3b when he said that the farmer sows seed that falls along a path. The seed represents the message of the kingdom. Sowing the seed represents telling/announcing the message. The soil along a path represents the heart of certain people.

Notice that in this explanation, the phrase what was sown keeps the metaphor. This phrase refers to the message about the kingdom. On the other hand, the phrase in his heart explains part of the metaphor.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• In some languages, it is possible to mix the metaphor and the meaning. For example:

what was planted in that person’s heart (New Century Version)

• In other languages, it will be necessary to explain the entire metaphor. For example:

the message which was put in his heart/mind

• In other languages, it will be necessary to leave in his heart untranslated. For example:

the message that he heard
-or-
the message that ⌊someone⌋ told him

in his heart: The word heart refers to the inner being of a person.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in his mind
-or-
in him (God’s Word)

As mentioned above, in some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this phrase.

13:19e

This is the seed sown along the path: This clause indicates that 13:19a–d is the explanation of what happened when seed fell in the soil along/on the path.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

This is like the seed sown by the road-side (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates (God’s Word)
-or-
That is ⌊the meaning of what happened to⌋ the seed which ⌊the farmer⌋ sowed/scattered on the path.

Your translation should not indicate that the seed represents the person who hears the message. The seed is the message.

This: The word This refers back to what Jesus just said in 13:19a–d. In some languages, it may be more natural to use “that” here.

sown: Here are some other ways to translate this word:

planted (God’s Word)

-or-

scattered/thrown

along the path: If you translated along the path in 13:4b as “on the path,” you should do the same thing here.

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