Translation commentary on Matthew 17:7

Came … touched … saying translates three verb forms in Greek; came and saying are actually third-person singular forms, while touched is a participle. Good News Translation restructures somewhat differently, using three third-person verb forms: “came … touched … said.” Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, as other standard English translations, merely reflect stylistic variations, and either one is valid. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Luther 1984 have “But Jesus came to them, touched them and said….” The touching of the disciples, as with the command Rise (Good News Translation “Get up”), is reminiscent of the manner in which Jesus touched the sick and dead (8.15; 9.25, 29) and commanded the daughter of Jairus to get up from her sickbed (Luke 8.54).

Came is often more naturally “went to them” or “approached them.”

The text does not specify how Jesus touched the disciples, nor will most translations. However, if the language does require more detail, then “touched them with his hand” can be used.

Some translators have rendered have no fear as “You don’t have to be afraid” or “Don’t be afraid anymore,” but “Don’t be afraid” of Good News Translation is usually natural.

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 17:7



17:7a

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then here functions to join the next event to the previous one. Here it does not show an obvious contrast. However, some English versions translate this word as “But.” Other versions do not translate it at all. For example:

But Jesus came and touched them. (English Standard Version)
-or-
Jesus came to them and touched them. (Good News Translation)

You should begin this verse in a way that is natural in your language.

Jesus came over: This story is told from the disciples’ perspective. So Jesus is described as coming from where he was to where the disciples were. But this event can also be told as if looking at the whole scene. For example:

Jesus went to them (New Century Version)
-or-
Jesus approached them

touched them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as touched indicates that Jesus put his hand on each of them briefly. It is the same sort of thing Jesus did when healing someone of a sickness.

Here is another way to translate this:

put/placed his hand on them

17:7b

Get up: The phrase Get up refers to someone getting up from the ground and standing. Here this word is a command.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Rise (English Standard Version)
-or-
Stand up (New Jerusalem Bible)

Do not be afraid: In modern English, this Greek phrase is usually translated as in the Berean Standard Bible.

General Comment on 17:7b

In some languages, it will be more natural to change the order of “rising” and “not fearing.” For example:

Don’t be afraid! Stand up!

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