witness

The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and and Greek that is translated as “witness” in English is translated in these ways:

  • “truly have seen” in Highland Popoluca
  • “telling the truth regarding something” in Eastern Highland Otomi
  • “know something” in Lalana Chinantec
  • “verily know something to be the truth” in San Mateo del Mar Huave
  • “we ourselves saw this” in Desano
  • “tell the truth about something” in Eastern Highland Otomi
  • “know something is true because of seeing it” in Teutila Cuicatec (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • “ones who will confirm that these-things that you have seen are true” in Kankanaey (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • “ones who are to testify about these things, because it all happened before your eyes” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 18:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 18:16:

  • Uma: “But if he does not want to believe/accept our (incl.) words, accompany one or two people and go to speak to him. Because in the Holy Book long ago is written like this: ‘If there is a person who is accused of doing wrong, there must be two or three people who become witnesses, so that his case is clear.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But if he does not follow/agree-with your words, take with you one or two other companions of yours so that there is a witness to all you (pl.) say.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But if he doesn’t allow it to be settled, find one if not two other believers, so that your discussion might be confirmed by two or three.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if he refuses to listen, then call one or two of your (sing.) companions so that there are two or three who will confirm everything that is said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if you can’t get reconciled (to each other), you (sing.) are to take one or two people who are believers, so that all your (pl.) conversation can be testified to by two or three witnesses.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But if he does not want to listen to what you say, look up two or three persons to take with you so they will listen when you talk with him and see that you want to make peace with him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 18:16

If he does not listen is the negative of the phrase in verse 15. “If he does not admit he has done wrong” or “If he does not pay attention to what you say” are ways to translate it.

To say next take one or two others along with you implies a second visit to the person. For some languages this will need to be made explicit, as in “go see him again, but take one or two other people with you.”

One or two others (so most translations) is literally “one or two.” Good News Translation has “one or two other persons,” and the full meaning will be “one or two other Christian brothers.” This is the second step in winning back a lost brother, and it has its basis in Deuteronomy 19.15: “Every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses.”

Word (Good News Translation “accusation”) may refer here to either (1) the charge brought against the brother (Jerusalem Bible “the evidence of two or three witness is required to sustain any charge,” and Good News Translation “every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses”) or (2) the discussion which results between the brother who has sinned and the one who discusses the matter with him (Phillips “so that everything that is said may have the support of two or three witnesses”). The latter interpretation is probably correct, as one commentator remarks: “The presence of one or two of the brethren is meant to protect the sinner; the admonisher may well be wrong, or someone else may find the right words when he cannot.” Translators who follow this interpretation will say something like “so that the things you point out to him can be confirmed by two or three other witnesses (or, people)” or “so that two or three others can confirm the things you accuse him of.”

“As the scripture says,” though not in the Greek text, is included by Good News Translation to indicate the nature of the quotation. This is especially important for hearers of the Scripture, for whom the quotation marks (or the inclusion of the words in italics, as with New Jerusalem Bible) will mean nothing. There are actually several ways to indicate this is a citation, should translators wish to do so: “Do this in order to follow the Scripture that says that two or three witnesses are needed to make an accusation against someone” or “The Scriptures say that you need to do this before you can accuse someone of doing wrong.”

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 18:16



18:16a

But: There is a contrast between 18:15c and 18:16a. The contrast is between listening and not listening. The Greek indicates this contrast with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But.

if he will not listen: The phrase will not listen includes the same verb as in 18:15c.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

If he does not hear ⌊you⌋ ⌊and repent⌋
-or-
If he does not listen ⌊to you⌋ ⌊and is not sorry/regretful⌋
-or-
If he does not accept your words
-or-
If he does not agree with you

Some English versions translate this phrase in a way that suggests that he is not willing to listen and respond appropriately. For example:

if he refuses to listen (New Century Version)

18:16b

take one or two others along: This clause means that the one who was wronged should ask or call one or two other people to go along with him. It implies that he should visit the brother a second time. He should “return to your brother” with them. It implies that he has gone away after confronting the brother one time without success.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

take one or two others with you and go back again (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
go to him again and take one or two other people with you (New Century Version)
-or-
ask/call one or two other people to accompany you to go back to your brother

one or two others: This phrase refers to one or two other people. It does not specify who they are, but the context suggests they are also Christians. For example:

take one or two other believers along

General Comment on 18:16b

It is implied that the person who was wronged and the others discuss the problem again with the brother. The one or two other believers try to help resolve the problem. But if the problem is not resolved, then they are able to explain everything to the church in the next step (18:17a).

In some languages, it may be necessary to include some of this implied information. Here are some examples:

⌊and you and they discuss the problem with him again⌋
-or-

⌊and you speak to him again with the others⌋

18:16c

so that: Verse 18:16c is the purpose of taking along some believers (in 18:16b). The Greek introduces this purpose with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that.

Here are some other ways to introduce this purpose:

in order that
-or-
that (English Standard Version)

every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses: This is a quote from Deuteronomy 19:15. That verse talks about someone who is charged with a crime. The law required there to be two or three witnesses to the crime in order for someone to be convicted of it.

Here Jesus used the same principle for establishing truth (some witnesses), but he applied it to a different situation. Here, the witnesses come to support the person who was wronged. They support the charge/accusation against the other brother. They try to convince the man to listen that what he has done is wrong.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

• Keep the wording of the original context. For example:

every complaint must be proven true by two or more witnesses (Contemporary English Version)

• Adapt the wording to the current context. For example:

everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses (New Living Translation (2004))

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

• Use a passive verb. For example:

every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses (God’s Word)
-or-
everything that you accuse him of may be confirmed/proven by two or three witnesses

• Use an active verb. For example:

two or three witnesses will confirm the things that you say that he has done wrong

every matter: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as matter is more literally “word” (as in the Revised Standard Version). In its original context in Deuteronomy, this word refers to the “accusation” that a person had committed a crime. Here, this word refers to the words that you say to tell the man his fault.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

every accusation (Good News Translation)
-or-
everything you say (New Living Translation (2004))

may be established: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as may be established also means “may be confirmed” or “may be proven true.”

The verb is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

may be verified (God’s Word)
-or-
may be proved/shown

• Use an active verb. For example:

may support/confirm
-or-
will show

by the testimony: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates testimony is more literally “mouth.” This is a figure of speech that refers to talking. The work of witnesses was to tell what they saw or heard. So the evidence would be given by their words.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

by the evidence (English Standard Version)

Some English versions do not translate this phrase. The phrase “two or three witnesses” includes this idea. For example:

Every case may be proved by two or three witnesses (New Century Version)

In some languages, this phrase may not be necessary either.

of two or three witnesses: The word witnesses refers to people who have seen or heard something.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

of two or three people who say what they have heard

-or-

of two or three other people who say the same thing

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