Translation commentary on Matthew 14:31

Immediately (Good News Translation “At once”) stands in the position of emphasis in the Greek text.

Reached out his hand and caught him is somewhat abbreviated in Good News Translation: “reached out and grabbed hold of him.” In New Jerusalem Bible this part of the verse is translated “Jesus put out his hand at once and held him”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Jesus at once stuck out his hand, took hold of him.”

O man of little faith translates one word in Greek. Good News Translation has “What little faith you have!” and New English Bible “How little faith you have!” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “You have too little faith.” It may be necessary to indicate the object of the faith, as in Moffatt: “How little you trust me!” One may also translate “Why don’t you trust me more than that?” or “You ought to trust me more than that!”

Doubt (in the New Testament only here and in 28.17) is the primary meaning of the verb, though it may also mean “hesitate” (New English Bible) or “waver” (An American Translation). The tense is perhaps best represented by Barclay (“begin to doubt”), since Peter’s initial steps on the water would suggest that he did initially have faith that he could go to Jesus.

It is quite common for languages to require the translator to specify what Peter failed to trust. Translators can say “Why didn’t you believe you could walk on the water?” or “Didn’t you believe I could make you walk on the water?”

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 14:31

14:31a

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand: In some languages, it is not necessary to include the phrase His hand because that is understood by the verb reached.

The verb reached out is translated as “stretched out” in 12:13.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Jesus immediately stretched out his hand
-or-
Jesus quickly extended his hand
-or-
At once Jesus reached out (Good News Translation)

and took hold of Peter: The verb took hold indicates that Jesus grabbed Peter and kept him from sinking.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

grabbed hold of him (Good News Translation)
-or-

caught him (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
grabbed him ⌊and pulled him up⌋

14:31b

You of little faith: This phrase is the translation of one Greek word. Jesus used this word to describe Peter and rebuke him. He spoke directly to Peter.

If it is not natural in your language to speak directly to a person and at the same time describe and rebuke him, you may use a complete clause. For example:

You have so little faith (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Your faith is small (New Century Version)
-or-
You do not trust ⌊in me⌋ enough.

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this rebuke as a rhetorical question. For example:

Why is your faith ⌊in me⌋ so little/weak/lacking?

The plural form of this word occurs in 6:30d and 8:26a.

why did you doubt?: This is a rhetorical question. It is a mild rebuke. Jesus was rebuking Peter for doubting.

Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why did you doubt me? (New Living Translation (2004))

• As a statement. For example:

You should not have doubted.

-or-

It was wrong to doubt ⌊me⌋

Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.

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