complete verse (Matthew 15:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 15:29:

  • Uma: “After that, Yesus also left from there, he walked on the edge of Lake Galilea. He climbed going to a hill, and he sat teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa continued from there and went along the edge of lake Jalil. Then he climbed onto a mountain and he sat down there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus left there, and he went along the shore of the Lake of Galilee. He climbed up a hill and sat down there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Jesus left and went to the edge of lake Galilea. He climbed to the mountainous-area and sat down.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Going from there, Jesus returned to the shore of the Lake of Galilea. And then he went up a hill and sat down.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus passed on and went to the other side of the lake of Galilee. There at the hill he arrived at, he sat down.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("sitting")

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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, suwatteo-rare-ru (座っておられる) or “sitting” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("go")

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, ik-are-ru (行かれる) or “go” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 15:29

Jesus went on … passed along the Sea of Galilee: according to verse 21, Jesus is somewhere in northern Galilee, in the vicinity of the towns of Tyre and Sidon. In order to get from there to Lake Galilee, he would have moved in a southeasterly direction, which Matthew describes by the brief phrase went on from there, without indicating any of the territories through which Jesus would have passed en route. Some languages will require more verbs of motion than the two of the Greek text, went on … passed along, though Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition is even more succinct: “Then Jesus walked along Lake Galilee again.”

Most translations will render went on very much as Good News Translation has, “left there.” However, for passed along the Sea of Galilee they often say that Jesus went “along the coast” (so Barclay) or “by the shore.” As we discussed elsewhere, Sea is usually “Lake” (see also 4.18).

Just as Matthew does not state where Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, whether on the eastern or western shore, neither does he identify the mountain which Jesus went up. However, the mention of a mountain (or “hill”) does hint at activity in the area north of Lake Galilee, which would satisfy the demands of either interpretation.

For these reasons, then, most translators do not try to specify which mountain the mountain refers to, and say instead “a mountain” or “a hill.” See also comments at 5.1.

Matthew does not indicate why Jesus sat down, though sitting was the usual position that a Jewish teacher took when offering instruction (5.1; 13.1). However, there is no indication in the context that teaching is in any way intended, and it is quite obvious from the verses which follow that Matthew’s primary concern here is with Jesus’ healing ministry.

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 15:29



Section 15:29–31

Jesus healed many people

In this short section, Jesus healed many people with different kinds of physical problems.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus healed many kinds of illnesses
-or-
Jesus made many people well

Paragraph 15:29–31

15:29a–b

Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee: Jesus’ trip probably had three parts:

(a) He left the region of Tyre and Sidon

(b) He traveled several days and came to the Sea of Galilee

(c) He walked part of the way around the Sea of Galilee. He stopped when he arrived at the base of a mountain that was beside the sea.

The disciples went with Jesus, but they are not mentioned because the focus is on Jesus. In some languages, it may be more natural to mention the disciples.

Also, part (b) of the trip is left implied in the Berean Standard Bible and other English versions. In some languages, it may be more natural to make this part more explicit. For example:

Then Jesus left there ⌊and traveled to⌋ the Sea of Galilee and walked beside it
-or-
Jesus ⌊and the disciples⌋ left ⌊the region of Tyre and Sidon⌋ ⌊and went/returned to⌋ the Sea of Galilee and walked ⌊part way⌋ around it

15:29a

Moving on from there: This phrase means that Jesus and his disciples left the area of Tyre and Sidon.

Before Jesus had gone to the district of Tyre and Sidon (in 15:21b), he was in Gennesaret. Gennesaret is on the northwest shore of Lake Galilee. So here in this verse, when Jesus left Tyre and Sidon, he “returned” to the area around Lake Galilee. In some languages, it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus left that area and returned to Lake Galilee

15:29b

the Sea of Galilee: Here, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sea refers to a large freshwater lake. This lake is 23 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide (14 miles long and 6 miles wide).

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

Lake Galilee (Good News Translation)

Use the same expression for Sea as you did in 4:13b and 13:1b.

15:29c

He went up on a mountain: The word mountain refers to a hill or a mountain about 500 meters high. In some languages, it is more natural to say “climbed” a mountain. For example:

He climbed a hill (Good News Translation)

The phrase went up on a mountain also occurs in 14:23b. As is mentioned there, this phrase indicates that Jesus went at least part way up the side of a mountain. It does not say if he went to the top of the mountain. For example:

Then he went up on a mountainside (New International Version)

and sat down: The Greek tense indicates that Jesus sat down and stayed sitting for some time. While he sat there, news of his arrival spread and the crowds brought their sick people (15:30). If it is natural in your language, you may want to indicate that he was sitting for some time. For example:

was sitting (New American Standard Bible)

-or-

sat down. While he was sitting there

The Greek does not indicate why Jesus sat down. Many times, the words sat down indicate that Jesus was preparing to teach. However, here, Matthew only says that he healed people. Perhaps Jesus just sat down to rest. Here, you should not say why he sat down.

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