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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 13:40

13:40a

As: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as As introduces the first part of a comparison. (The second part of the comparison is 13:40b–42b.)

Here are some other ways to introduce this comparison:

Just as (English Standard Version)
-or-
Like

In some languages, only the second part of the comparison is marked. See the examples under 13:40b.

the weeds are collected and burned in the fire: This clause has two passive verbs: collected and burned.

Here are some ways to translate this clause:

• Use passive verbs. For example:

Just as weeds are gathered and burned (God’s Word)

• Use active verbs. For example:

As the ⌊harvesters⌋ gathered the weeds and burned them
-or-
Like they gathered and burned the weeds

collected: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as collected means “gather” or “collect.” Here it refers to removing the weeds from the grain/wheat and collecting them together.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

collected
-or-
pulled up (New Century Version)

This same verb occurs in 13:28b, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “pull…up.”

burned in the fire: In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate the phrase in the fire. For example:

burned (God’s Word)

13:40b

so: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so introduces the second part of a comparison. (The first part of the comparison is 13:40a.)

Here are some other ways to introduce this part of the comparison:

that is like
-or-
like that also
-or-
that represents

will it be at the end of the age: This clause refers to certain events that will happen at the end of the world. These events are like what happens to weeds. More specifically, this means that evil people will be gathered and thrown into the fire of hell. These details are found in the following verses (13:41–42).

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

the same thing will happen at the end of the age (Good News Translation)
-or-
the things/events that will happen ⌊to evil people⌋ at the end of the world

the end of the age: This phrase refers to the end of the world. This same phrase occurs in 13:39b.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the end of the world (New Living Translation (2004))

-or-

the end of this time ⌊on earth⌋

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