Translation commentary on Matthew 17:17

Jesus answered: presumably it was the man he was answering, yet his words seem to be addressed either to the disciples or, more likely, after experiencing the lack of faith of the disciples, he is making a general statement about the people of that day. For this reason, in some languages Jesus answered will more naturally be “Jesus responded by saying (to the disciples).”

To address someone with O is not natural in current English, and Good News Translation does not use it.

A faithless … generation means that the people of that day had no faith. Translators could say “You people have no faith” or “You people don’t believe in God at all.” As we suggested above, Jesus probably included the disciples as well as the crowds as being people with no faith.

Perverse, representing a participle used as an adjective, is the choice of many English translations. Phillips prefers “difficult,” Good News Translation has “wrong,” and An American Translation selects “obstinate” as the meaning. The same form of the participle is also used in Philippians 2.15, where Good News Bible translates “sinful.” The basic meaning of the form is “misled” or “led astray,” which explains the rendering perverse. However, for English readers perverse may not be the best choice because it comes too close in sound to “pervert,” which implies unnatural sexual behavior. Other expressions such as “misguided” or “confused” are closer to the meaning. One possibility for translating perverse will be to use a verb instead of an adjective. The sentence can be “You people! You have no faith and you don’t know what is right or wrong.”

Both Revised Standard Version (How long am I to bear with you?) and Good News Translation: (“How long do I have to put up with you?”) represent fairly literal renderings of the Greek text, which is in the form of a rhetorical question that does not anticipate an answer. It may be altered to a statement: “I hope I don’t have to put up with you much longer.”

Bring him here: it may be advisable at this point to identify him as “the boy” (Good News Translation).

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 17:17



17:17a

O: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as O was used when someone addressed another person or group and was feeling strong emotion at the time. Some English translations substitute a pronoun for this word to achieve a similar effect. For example:

You unbelieving and perverted generation (New American Standard Bible)

unbelieving: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unbelieving can also be translated as “faithless.” It refers to a lack of trust in God.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

faithless (English Standard Version)
-or-
You people have no faith (New Century Version)

perverse: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as perverse describes a person whose thinking and behavior are against God’s desires. He has strayed from doing what is right.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

corrupt (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
you have strayed off the right path
-or-
you don’t know what is right

generation: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as generation refers to all the members of a particular group (like a tribe or a country) alive at the same time. Here Jesus apparently included the disciples who could not heal the boy in that group.

Here is another way to translate this word:

people (Good News Translation)

Jesus replied: Here Jesus did not answer a question. He responded to the man’s statement and plea for help. So here are some other ways to begin this verse:

Jesus answered (English Standard Version)
-or-
Jesus said (Contemporary English Version)

17:17b

How long must I remain with you?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to rebuke the people he was talking to, especially his disciples. He also used it to express his frustration with them. They should have had faith, but they did not.

Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

How much longer must I be with you? (NET Bible)
-or-
How long must I stay with you? (Good News Translation)

• As a statement. For example:

I am frustrated that I may have to stay with you longer ⌊than necessary because you still do not believe/trust me⌋.

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

How long: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as How long could also be translated as “until when.” Jesus used this phrase to indicate his frustration with the people’s lack of progress.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

How much longer (NET Bible)

must I remain with you: This phrase means “to live among you.” Jesus’ question could imply that their unbelief would force him to stay longer than necessary. Some English translations try to communicate this idea. For example:

how long must I stay with you (Good News Translation)

17:17c

How long must I put up with you?: This is a rhetorical question. It is similar to the previous rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to rebuke the people he was talking to, especially his disciples. He also used it to express his frustration with them. They should have had faith, but they did not.

Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

How much longer must I endure you? (NET Bible)

• As a statement. For example:

I am frustrated that I may have to endure you longer ⌊than necessary because you still do not believe/trust me⌋.

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

must I put up with you: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as put up with means “to endure/tolerate.” Jesus had to endure the people’s unbelief. As with the previous rhetorical question, Jesus implies that their unbelief would force him to endure them longer than necessary

17:17d

In 17:17d Jesus suddenly switched from rebuking people to giving them a command. In some languages, it may be more natural to introduce this command. For example:

Then Jesus said to them
-or-
Then Jesus told them

Bring the boy here to Me: In Greek, the word Bring is plural. This means that Jesus commanded several people to bring the boy to him. Jesus was not just speaking to the boy’s father.

Here are some other ways to translate this command:

Take him here to me.

-or-

Come with the boy to me.

The next verse shows that the people did what Jesus commanded and brought the boy to him. If that would not be clear from the context in your language, you may need to make it more explicit. For example:

So they brought the boy to him.

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