Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("resurrect")

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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.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, yomigae-rare-ru (よみがえられる) or “resurrect” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("go")

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, ik-are-ru (行かれる) or “go” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Sung version of Matthew 28

Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).

For more information, see here .

Translation commentary on Matthew 28:7

The adverb quickly is introduced by Matthew but not found in the Marcan parallel.

Whereas Matthew has tell his disciples, Mark has “tell his disciples and Peter” (16.7). In light of Matthew’s interest elsewhere in Peter, it is noteworthy that he is not singled out here.

He has risen translates the same passive verb used in verse 6 (see comment at 14.2). Here Matthew adds from the dead, which is not explicitly mentioned in verse 6, but which may require explicit mention in many languages. Mark does not repeat this information but follows directly with “he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him” (16.7). This statement is word-for-word the same in Matthew and Mark, but Matthew prefaces it with and behold, which is one of his favorite transitional formulas (see comments at 1.20).

Good News Translation understands and behold to introduce the exact message in direct speech that the women are to give the disciples, so that the first two occurrences of you refer to the disciples. This can also be translated with indirect speech, as in “tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is going before them to Galilee where they will see him.” The third you refers to the women only. If the whole passage is in indirect speech, as in the Revised Standard Version text, then the women are often included as those who should go to Galilee: “tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is going before you (all) to Galilee where you will see him.” But the Good News Translation interpretation seems more likely. In either case, I have told you (Barclay “That is the message I have for you”) seems to be addressed to the women only.

For he is going before you to Galilee, see 26.32.

Lo (or, “Behold”), I have told you confirms the angel’s message; in place of this Mark has “as he told you” (16.7). In most translations this is rendered by a separate sentence.

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 .