end of the age, end of the world

The Greek that is often translated in English as “end of the age” or “end of the world” is translated in Amele as “the end of the world time,” in Dobel as “the end of the world as it is now,” and in Luwo as” Day of God’s judgement” (in Matt. 13:39-40) or “as the end of the present world/earth” (in Matt. 13:49; 24:3 and 28:20). (Sources: Joseph Modesto (Luwo), John Roberts (Amele), Jock Hughes (Dobel))

In the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) it is translated as “the complete end (or: “the very end”) of the world time” (das Voll-Ende der Weltzeit).

See also worries/cares of the world/this age.

complete verse (Matthew 13:40)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:40:

  • Uma: “Like grass is gathered and burned, so also will [happen to] evil people at the time of the Kiama Day.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Na, as for weeds they are just gathered and burned. Like that it will also happen when the end (of the world) has come.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Just like they pulled up the bad plants and burned them, that’s just the way it will be also in the future at the last time.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The servants’ gathering of the weeds to be-burned, like that also is what will happen at the end of the world,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For as these weeds will be piled up to be burned, like that indeed is what will happen at the end of the world.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the weeds appearing like wheat which were gathered to burn, that means the painful situation which will happen when the earth is ended.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

age / (for)ever / eternity / eternal / permanent / of old / long ago

The Greek in the referenced verses that is typically translated as “age,” “(for)ever / eternity / eternal / permanent,” “of old / long ago” in English is translated in the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) consistenty as “world (or: “cosmic”) time” (Weltzeit).

Sarah Ruden (2021, p. lxii) explains the complexities of the translation of aiōn: “Trickiest of all [the words relating to time] is aion, most simply an ‘age’ or ‘era’ but sometimes denoting either the whole present world or the whole world to come. The same word can allude to all the limits of material existence (or to dangerous worldly distractions in particular), or to their absence in the eternal age to come. Looking forward, especially to ‘ages of ages’ (in the pattern of ‘King of Kings’), the meaning is ‘eternity.’”

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:40

Note that “burned in the fire” (Good News Translation) is generally more natural than burned with fire. But some will have simply “burned.”

It is quite possible that the reader will miss the comparison intended in so will it be at the close of the age. That is, it may sound as though weeds will be gathered up and burned in the fire at the end of the age in the same way that they are gathered and burned at harvest time. One may then translate “… so the people who belong to the Evil One will be gathered and burned in the fire at the end of the age.” Then verses 41-42 will immediately be understood as an explanation of the manner in which this is accomplished.

The close of the age will be as in verse 39.

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 .