The Greek that is translated in English as the singular “heaven” but is actually a plural form in the original Greek is translated in that plural form in the Greek original (ouranōn or ouranois instead of the singular ouranos) are translated in the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) as the plural form “heavens” ((die) Himmel). Note that this is particularly often used in the Gospel of Matthew (see the referenced verses). The German translation of Walter Jens (publ. 1998) translates likewise.
English translations that also maintain the plural where it is found in the Greek, include translations by Hart (2017), Ruden (2021), and McKnight (2023).
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 18:19:
Uma: “I also say: if there are two of you on this earth who are in agreement/harmony calling out requesting something, your prayer is answered by my Father in heaven.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “I also tell you if there are two people of you who agree on whatever they want to ask of God, my Father in heaven will give to them what they ask.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this also I cause you to understand. If there is something that you ask for from God which even two only here on earth agree about, my Father God in heaven will give this to you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘I also say to you that if two of you agree-together concerning what you will ask my Father in heaven, it will be fulfilled to you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “This also is what I will say to you. In what even two of you are in harmony about here in the world, which you will pray about, my Father there in heaven really will respond-favorably.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “There is another word I will tell you. Here on earth when two people have found a word about what to ask my Father who is in heaven, then God will give what they ask for.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated with the capitalized “Father” in English when referring to God is translated in Highland Totonac with the regular word for (biological) father to which a suffix is added to indicate respect. The same also is used for “Lord” when referring to Jesus. (Source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )
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. In the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017, God the Father is addressed with mi-chichi (御父). This form has the “divine” honorific prefix mi– preceding the archaic honorific form chichi for “father.”
If, however, Jesus addresses his Father, he is using chichi-o (父を) which is also highly respectful but does not have the “divine” honorific. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Again (Good News Translation “And … more”) translates a Greek adverb which may indicate either repetition (as in Revised Standard Version) or continuation (Moffatt “another thing”; Barclay “Still further”). The context suggests the second of these two possibilities. Translators may say, for example, “Another thing I will tell you,” “In addition to that…,” or “I will tell you something else.”
In some Greek manuscripts “truly” is present, thereby making I say to you the same form as that used in verses 3, 13, and 18. Most modern translations do not include it in the text, though Barclay has “I tell you truly,” and Luther 1984 has “Truly, I say to you”; Jerusalem Bible has “I tell you solemnly.”
Two of you … they ask … for them is unnatural for English readers, since you, they, and them refer to the same persons. Good News Translation avoids this awkwardness by rendering “two of you … you pray for … for you.” New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible also make similar shifts to second-person pronominal usage throughout. Grammatically it will be equally possible to use third person throughout: “two people … they pray for … for them.” However, Jesus is addressing his disciples and means two of them. Consequently “you” should be retained, as in Good News Translation.
The contrasting phrases on earth … in heaven link this verse with verse 18. In this respect a pleasing balance is achieved, but for many readers two of you … on earth will sound awkward. One may therefore prefer to translate “whenever any two of you.” A relative clause may allow translators to retain on earth; for example, “two of you who are here on earth.” But this should only be done if the resulting sentence in the receptor language is natural.
If is sometimes more naturally expressed as “When,” “Whenever,” or “Any time that.”
Agree … about anything they ask refers specifically to prayer, as the person asked (my Father in heaven) signifies. Good News Translation therefore translates “agree about anything you pray for.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “if two of you on earth pray together about something.” If the verb ask is maintained in translation, then it may be obligatory in some languages to indicate the person of whom the request is made: “… ask my Father in heaven for something, he will do it for you.” Even where the verb ask is translated specifically as “pray,” some languages may still require specific mention of the Father in heaven as the one to whom the prayers are directed.
In the present context anything refers to the settlement of disputes within the Christian community and should not be translated in such a way as to imply the provision of material goods as an answer to prayer. Moreover, as “in my name” of verse 20 indicates, the prayer must be in keeping with God’s will.
With these things in mind, translators may render the passage as “If two of you here on earth agree about something you ask God to do,” “Whenever two of you here on earth agree to ask God to do something,” or “If here on earth two of you agree on something and ask God to do it.”
It will be done for them by my Father in heaven may require restatement in an active form: “my Father in heaven will do it for you.”
For comments on my Father in heaven, see 5.16.
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 .
Again, I tell you truly: There is a textual issue here. In some Greek manuscripts, there is a word that means “truly.”
Some important Greek manuscripts do not have this Greek word. Most English versions follow these manuscripts. For example:
Again I say to you (Revised Standard Version)
(Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, King James Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
Other Greek manuscripts have this Greek word. A few English versions follow these manuscripts. For example:
Again, truly I tell you (New Revised Standard Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) and the majority of English versions. Do not include a translation of the word “truly.”
Again: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Again indicates that Jesus wanted to say some more things to his disciples. It does not mean that he wanted to repeat something he had already said.
Here are some other ways to translate this word and its context:
And I tell you more: (Good News Translation)
-or-
I also tell you this (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Also, I tell you that (New Century Version)
18:19b
if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for: This clause refers to two of Jesus’ disciples agreeing to ask God for something. It refers to agreeing about something and praying for it.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
if two of you on earth agree about anything and ask ⌊God⌋ for it
-or-
if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it (New Century Version)
-or-
when any two of you on earth agree about something you are praying for (Contemporary English Version)
In this context, this clause may refer to asking for wisdom to handle the issue of the brother who has sinned (in 18:15a). But it may include other issues as well. You should translate it in a general way so that it can refer to any issue.
two of you…you: The second you translates a form that is more literally “they.” However, both pronouns refer to Jesus’ disciples, so the Berean Standard Bible and some English versions change the pronoun “they” to you to make this clearer. In some languages, it would be natural to follow the Greek and use both you and “they” here. For example:
if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask (English Standard Version)
In some languages, it may also be more natural to use the same pronoun here.
on the earth: This phrase on the earth contrasts with the phrase “in heaven” at the end of 18:19c. It refers to where people are, as opposed to where God is.
In some languages, it will be natural to put this phrase at a different place in the clause. For example:
if two of you agree on anything here on earth (God’s Word)
about anything you ask for: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as anything you ask for refers to any matter or thing of concern.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
about whatever (NET Bible)
-or-
concerning any matter
18:19c
it will be done for you by My Father in heaven: This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb, as in the Berean Standard Bible.
• Use an active verb. For example:
my Father in heaven will do it for you (NET Bible)
-or-
you will receive it from my Father in heaven
it will be done for you: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be done means “will do” what they asked for or “will answer” their prayer. You should use a verb in your language that refers to answering a prayer. For example:
my Father in heaven will answer their/your prayer
-or-
my Father in heaven will give it to them/you
-or-
my Father in heaven will fulfill what they/you asked
you: The pronoun you here, as in 18:19b, is more literally “them.” However, this pronoun refers to “you” in the phrase “two of you.” Therefore, the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions change the “them” to you. In some languages, it would be natural to follow the Greek and use “they” here. For example:
it will be done for them (English Standard Version)
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