complete verse (Matthew 27:36)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 27:36:

  • Uma: “After that, they sat around guarding.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then they sat there keeping watch over him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they finished that, they sat down to see what would happen to him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and afterwards they sat-down there to guard.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those soldiers then sat down, keeping guard.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The soldiers then sat to look on at what occurred with Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 27:36

Only Matthew indicates that the men sat down and kept watch over him after gambling for his clothes. The meaning is not that they sat there simply to stare at Jesus (Good News Translation “watched him”), but rather to “keep watch” (New English Bible, Moffatt, An American Translation) so that they might prevent any rescue attempt on the part of Jesus’ friends or followers.

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 .