Translation commentary on Matthew 19:13

As Revised Standard Version indicates, this brief narrative is introduced in Greek by a transitional, Then. Not all languages will require the retention of this form, though other languages may require more. It is omitted by Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible.

Children were brought represents a Greek passive structure which is transformed into an active structure by several translations: “Some people brought children” (Good News Translation), “people brought little children” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “Several people brought their children” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New English Bible employs an impersonal active form: “They brought children.”

Were brought will have to be “were taken” in many languages, or if the active verb form is used, “some people took.” In cases where translators have had to supply an agent for were brought, the sentence may have to be restructured slightly to avoid confusion about who Jesus is being asked to bless; for example, “Some people brought their children to Jesus because they wanted him to lay his hands on the children and pray for them.”

To him is translated “to Jesus” by Good News Translation, which normally follows the policy of introducing participants by name in each new section, especially in passages likely to be used separately in public reading.

Lay his hands on them may be inadequate in some languages; that is, one may have to specify on what part of their body Jesus placed his hands. If so, “on their head” will probably be the best choice.

And pray is stated more explicitly in Good News Translation: (“to pray for them”). But some languages may require even more; for example, “to pray to God to bless them.” Direct discourse is also a possibility: “… and pray, ‘May God bless you.’ ”

Rebuked translates the same verb used in 8.26; 12.16; 16.22; 17.18; 20.31. In this verse “told them not to do that” or “scolded them” will be appropriate.

The people is literally “them” (New American Bible). But a literal translation of the text, especially if the passive form of the Greek is maintained, identifies “the children” as the referent of the pronoun “them.” New International Version translates “those who brought them”; Good News Translation and Moffatt follow the pattern of Revised Standard Version. Jerusalem Bible (“The disciples turned them away”) and Barclay (“but the disciples warned them off”) seems to suggest that the rebuke is directed toward the children, but this is surely not Matthew’s intention. Consequently translators should follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible (the people) at this point.

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 19:13



Section 19:13–15

Jesus blessed little children

In this section, some people brought their children to Jesus to bless them. The disciples probably thought that Jesus was too important a person to spend time doing that. So they prevented the people from bringing their children. But Jesus wanted to bless the children.

Jesus used this event to teach the disciples more about the kingdom of heaven. The people whom God rules should be like little children: they should humbly accept God’s rule in their lives.

Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:

Jesus and Little Children (NET Bible)
-or-
Jesus blesses some children

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 10:13–16 and Luke 18:15–17.

19:13a

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then indicates that the next event in the story is about to happen. It does not necessarily mean immediately after.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

One day (Good News Translation)
-or-
After that

the little children were brought to Jesus: This clause is passive. Most likely it was the parents who brought their children to Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

• Use a passive verb, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Use an active verb. For example:

Some people brought children to Jesus (Good News Translation)
-or-
some parents brought their children to Jesus

little children: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as little children refers to young boys or girls. In this context, it refers to children who were old enough to stand and walk.

Here is another way to translate this word:

children (English Standard Version)

This same Greek word occurs in 19:14a. There, the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “little children.”

19:13b

for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them: In the time of Jesus, parents commonly took their children to rabbis and elders to receive a blessing. The rabbis and elders blessed the children by placing their hands on them and praying for them. They probably placed their hands on the children’s heads.

Here the word pray refers to praying to God to bless the children. It was not a general prayer to God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

so that he could place his hands on them and pray for them (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

⌊They wanted⌋ him to put his hands on them and ask God to bless them.

19:13c

There is a contrast here. The parents wanted Jesus to bless their children. But the disciples did not want them to bother Jesus. Some versions indicate this contrast with the conjunction “But.” For example:

But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. (New International Version)

And the disciples: This is probably a reference to the twelve disciples whom Jesus had chosen.

For help in translating the word disciples, see the note at 5:1c.

rebuked those who brought them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rebuked also means “scolded.” The disciples scolded the parents and wanted to stop them from bringing their children.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

scolded the people (Good News Translation)
-or-
told them to stop (New Century Version)

-or-

told the people to stop bothering him (Contemporary English Version)

This verb also occurs in 16:22a.

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