complete verse (Matthew 19:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 19:30:

  • Uma: “But many people who are important [lit., whose lives are big] at this time will become unimportant [lit., their lives are small] in the future. And many also the people who are unimportant [lit., small their lives] at this time will become important [lit., big their lives] in the future.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But many who are first now will be last in the future, and many who are last now will be first in the future.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But many are the people today who seem to be big in rank, but their rank will be very small in the future. And many also are the people today who are very low in rank but in the future they will be very high in rank,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But many who are high/great now will be made-low/humble, and also many who are low/humble now will be made-high/great.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But it’s true that many are important today in man’s opinion who will become low-class/insignificant when that day comes. And many are only low-class/insignificant today in man’s opinion, but they will become important in the kingdom of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Many people are respected here, but on that day very little will they be respected. Many people are not respected here, but on that day they will be respected.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Choapan Zapotec: “Some people rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will no longer rule. Some people don’t rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will rule.”
  • Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Many whom people think are important, desirable, God is going to make small, and he will better cause to come out pretty those whom people think are not important or desirable.” (Source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on Matthew 19:30

This verse is repeated, only in reverse order, at the conclusion of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (20.16), and so it is probably intended to serve as a transition to the parable. The function of the words is to contrast a person’s status in this present age with his status in the coming age. One may then translate “But many people who are first now will be last in the age to come, and many who are last now will be first in the age to come.”

Some may get the wrong impression with first and last and understand these words in the sense of time. “Greatest” and “least” or “most important” and “least important” will then be better.

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 19:30



19:30a

But: There is some contrast here between two types of people. The people who leave their possessions and family for Jesus’ sake are contrasted with the people who are first in this world. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the word But.

many who are first will be last: In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as first means “most important.” The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as last means “least important.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

many who are high/great now will become low/humble
-or-
many people who are big now will be small in the future
-or-
many people who are respected much now will be respected little in the future
-or-
Many who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in the future (New Century Version)

19:30b

and the last will be first: Some words are implied but not repeated here. The complete clause would be:

and many people who are last will be first

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

many who are low/humble now will become high/great
-or-
many people who are small now will be big in the future
-or-
many people who are respected little now will be respected much in the future

-or-

many who have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future (New Century Version)