Translation commentary on Matthew 17:9

As they were coming down the mountain may need to be rendered “As Jesus and his disciples were coming down the mountain.”

Jesus commanded them: for other commands to silence see 8.4; 9.30; 12.16; 16.20. This is the last time that Jesus issues such a command in this Gospel.

The vision (Good News Translation “this vision you have seen”): this is the only place in the Gospels where the word vision occurs; in the Marcan parallel (9.9) the text reads “what they had seen.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and New International Version render vision as “what you have seen.” The same thing is done also by Phillips and Barclay, though they both shift to indirect discourse: “Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about what they had seen” (Phillips) and “Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what they had seen” (Barclay). Visions and dreams were acceptable means of divine revelation (see 1.20; 2.12, 13, 19). The distinguishing factor is the time element: visions may take place at any moment; dreams are reserved for the time when a person is sleeping. There will be many languages where vision is a word known well enough that translators will more likely follow the Good News Bible model than Phillips or Barclay (cited above).

For Son of man, see the discussion at 8.20.

Is raised from the dead: see comments at 16.21 and 14.2. Good News Translation and New English Bible follow the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version, since the Greek verb for raised is passive in form. The understanding that the verb has an active meaning, “has risen from death,” is the exegesis adopted by Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition, Luther 1984, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible, based on the opinion of some scholars that Matthew intentionally and regularly used the same passive form for resurrection as the verb for “awaken” (as in 1.24; 25.7).

Translators may have to restructure this command: “Don’t tell anyone about this vision you have seen before the time when God raises the Son of Man from death” or “You must not tell anyone about what you saw here until after the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

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 17:9



Paragraph 17:9–13

17:9a

As they were coming down the mountain: In some languages, it will be more natural to say “going” than coming. For example:

As they were going down the mountain

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

As they descended the mountain (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
On their way down from the mountain (Contemporary English Version)

they: The pronoun they refers to Jesus and the three disciples.

17:9b

Jesus commanded them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as commanded means “directed,” or “gave orders.” Jesus ordered them to not tell other people what they saw.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Jesus gave them this order (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Jesus warned his disciples (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus instructed them (New International Version)

17:9c

Do not tell anyone about this vision: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as vision here refers to the things that the disciples actually saw on the mountain. Here it does not refer to something like a dream.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Don’t tell anyone what you have seen (New International Version)

In some languages, it will be more natural to translate this clause as indirect speech. For example:

not to tell anyone about what they had seen (New Century Version)

17:9d

the Son of Man: Jesus used this phrase to refer to himself. In some languages, this phrase by itself would refer to someone other than Jesus. If that is true in your language, consider translating it as:

⌊I,⌋ the Son of Man

In Matthew, this phrase first occurs in 8:20b. See the Note there for more information on translating this phrase. This phrase last occurs in 16:28b. You should translate it here as you did there.

has been raised from the dead: This phrase refers to returning to life after being dead.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

is brought back to life after being dead
-or-
has come to life again
-or-
dies and returns to life again

This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

has been raised from the dead (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use an active verb with the “Son of Man” as the subject. For example:

until the Son of Man rises from the dead

• Use an active verb with “God” as the subject and the “Son of Man” as the object. For example:

until after ⌊God⌋ raises the Son of Man from the dead

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