Matt 13:54 – TIPs

amazed, astonished, marvel

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), or “surprise in the heart” (Yamba) (source for this and one above: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. ).

In Mark 5:20 and elsewhere where the astonishment is a response to listening to Jesus, the translation is “listened quietly” in Central Tarahumara, “they forgot 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” (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).

wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in Amganad Ifugao and Tabasco Chontal as “(big) mind,” in Bulu and Yamba as “heart-thinking,” in Tae’ as “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Palauan as “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton), in Ixcatlán Mazatec as “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom), and in Dobel, it is translated with the idiom “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes).

teach

The Greek that is translated as a form of “teach” is translated with some figurative phrases such as “to engrave the mind” (Ngäbere) or “to cause others to imitate” (Huichol). (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Nyongar it is translated as karni-waangki or “truth saying” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

miracle, miraculous power

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The Greek and Hebrew that are often translated as “miracles” or “miraculous powers” into English are translated as “thing which no one has ever seen before” (San Blas Kuna), “thing marveled at” (Tepeuxila Cuicatec), “breathtaking thing” (Ngäbere), “long-necked thing” (referring to the onlookers who stretch their necks to see) (Huautla Mazatec), “sign done by God’s power” (Mossi), “supernatural power” (Javanese), “thing that has heaven-strength” (Highland Totonac) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida), “amazing thing” (Muna) (source: René van den Berg), “sign no one else could do” (Tenango Otomi) (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), or “impossible thing” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).

synagogue, temple (inner), temple (outer)

In many English translations the Greek terms “hieron” (the whole “temple” in Jerusalem or specifically the outer courts open to worshippers) and “naos” (the inner “shrine” or “sanctuary”) are translated with only one word: “temple” (see also for instance “Tempel” in German [for exception see below] and “tempel” in Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans).

Other languages make a distinction: (Click or tap here to see more)

Navajo: “house in which worship is carried out” (for naos)
Balinese: “inner part of the Great Temple” (“the term ‘inner part’ denoting the hindmost and holiest of the two or three courts that temples on Bali usually possess”) vs. “Great Temple”
Telugu: “womb (i.e. interior)-of-the-abode” vs. “abode”
Thai: a term denoting the main audience hall of a Buddhist temple compound vs. “environs-of-the-main-audience-hall”
Kituba: “place of holiness of house-God Lord” vs. “house-God Lord”
Shipibo-Conibo: “deep in God’s house” vs. “God’s house” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “inner court of the temple” (Tempelinnenhof) vs. “temple”

Languages that, like English, German, Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans don’t make that distinction include:

Mandarin Chinese: “聖殿 Shèng diàn” (“holy palace”)
Loma: “the holy place”
Pular: “the sacred house” (source for this and the one above: Bratcher / Nida)
Zarma: “God’s compound”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “big church of the Jews”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “big house on top (i.e. most important)”
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house that is looked upon as holy, that is sacred, that is taboo and where one may not set foot” (lit. “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” — because taboo is violated — using a term that is also applied to a Muslim mosque) (source for this and the three above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Mairasi: Janav Enggwarjer Weso: “Great Above One’s (God’s) House” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Nyongar: Maya-maya-Kooranyi: “Sacred House” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Huehuetla Tepehua: “the big church of the Israelites”
Aguaruna: “the house for talking to God” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Guhu-Samane: “festival longhouse of God” (“The biiri, ‘festival longhouse’, being the religious and social center of the community, is a possible term for ‘temple’. It is not the ‘poro house’ as such. That would be too closely identified with the cult of poro. The physical features of the building, huge and sub-divided, lend it further favor for this consideration. By qualifying it as ‘God’s biiri’ the term has become meaningful and appropriate in the context of the Scriptures.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
Enga: “God’s restricted access house” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog)

Another distinction that tends to be overlooked in translations is that between hieron (“temple” in English) and sunagógé (“synagogue” in English). Euan Fry (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 213ff. ) reports on this:

“Many older translations have simply used transliterations of ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ rather than trying to find equivalent terms or meaningful expressions in their own languages. This approach does keep the two terms separate; but it makes the readers depend on explanations given by pastors or teachers for their understanding of the text.

“Translators who have tried to find meaningful equivalents, for the two terms ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ have usually made a distinction between them in one of two ways (which focus on the contrasting components of meaning). One way takes the size and importance of the Temple to make a contrast, so that expressions such as ‘sacred meeting/ worship house of the Jews’ and ‘big sacred meeting/worship house of the Jews’ are used. The other way focuses on the different nature of the religious activity at each of the places, so that expressions such as ‘meeting/worship house of the Jews’ and ‘sacrifice/ceremony place of the Jews’ are used.

“It is not my purpose in this article to discuss how to arrive at the most precise equivalent to cover all the components of meaning of ‘temple’. That is something that each translator really has to work through for himself in the light of the present usage and possibilities in his own language. My chief concern here is that the basic term or terms chosen for ‘temple’ should give the reader of a translation a clear and correct picture of the location referred to in each passage. And I am afraid that in many cases where an equivalent like ‘house of God’ or ‘worship house’ has been chosen, the readers have quite the wrong picture of what going to the Temple or being in the Temple means. (This may be the case for the word ‘temple’ in English too, for many readers.)”

Here are some examples:

Bambara: “house of God” (or: “big house of worship”) vs. “worship house” (or: “small houses of worship”)
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” (see above) vs. “meeting house for discussing matters concerning religious customs” (and “church” is “house where one meets on Sunday”)
Navajo: “house in which worship is carried out” vs. “house of gathering” (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Herod’s temple (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing synagogues in New Testament times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

complete verse (Matthew 13:54)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:54:

Uma: “going to his own town. There he taught in the house of prayer. The people were surprised/startled to hear his words, they said: ‘Who could have taught him, that he is smart/clever like that? And where is his power to do miracles from?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “He went back to his place and he preached/taught in the prayer-house. The people wondered, they said, ‘Where did this man get his knowledge/wisdom and his power to do the wonder-causing deeds?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and went to his own village. And there in the worshipping place, he taught the people there. The people who listened to him were amazed. They said, ‘Who taught him? Why does he know how to do miracles?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “and returned to the town where he grew-up. He went to teach in the synagogue, and those who heard were surprised and they said, ‘Where did this-one get his wisdom and power to do amazing-things?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He returned home to the town of Nazaret where he grew up. When he was there again, he taught in their worship-place. Those who heard were really amazed. They were saying, ‘Where did this fellow get this understanding/wisdom of his? How can he do the amazing things?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “He came to Nazareth, which was the town in which he grew up. He went to the church to teach the people. The people were astounded at the words he spoke and they said: ‘How did he come to know these things that he knows? How can he do miracles?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:54

And coming is often rendered “When he came to” or “… arrived in.” The noun translated own country, except for its occurrence in Hebrews 11.14, is found only in the Gospels, where it is limited to those passages which relate of Jesus’ rejection by his own people (Matt 13.54; Mark 6.1, 4; Luke 4.23; John 4.44). If the Revised Standard Version interpretation is correct, then the territory under consideration was the area in the vicinity of Nazareth. But the noun may also mean “hometown” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible), in which case the reference is to Nazareth (see the New Jerusalem Bible footnote).

Translators should be careful not to say “Nazareth,” of course, since the text does not specify it. Either “hometown” or “the area he was from” are acceptable.

In Greek the verb taught is an imperfect, which may imply an extended teaching ministry in that area.

Them can be rendered as “the people there” or “the people of that place.”

For synagogue, see comments on 4.23. Since the text says their synagogue, it can be translated as “the synagogue of those people” or “the synagogue there.”

The so that indicates that his teaching was such as to cause amazement. Possible renderings are “and they were amazed at his teaching” or “his teaching amazed the people.”

Were astonished (Good News Translation “were amazed”): see comments on 7.28.

Said is quite general, but they were not talking to Jesus. “Said to each other” may be better.

Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? is literally “From where to this one such wisdom and miracles?” But a literal translation would be absolute nonsense, and most translations attempt something more dynamic. The first part of the question can follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation quite closely or possibly be rendered as “Where did he learn all these things?” or “How come he is so wise?” The second part may better be rendered “How can he do these miracles?” “How is it he is able to do these miracles?” or “Where does he get the power (or, authority) to perform these great miracles?” Note that this will mean using two separate questions instead of one as in Revised Standard Version.

Wisdom was previously mentioned in 11.19 and 12.42. Mighty works is the same word used in 7.22. As one commentator notes, these two terms “refer to the two main aspects of Jesus’ ministry: his teaching and his miracles….”

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 .