Translation commentary on Matthew 6:30

In Greek this verse consists of one sentence; for the form of the sentence as it appears in Greek, see Revised Standard Version. The particular form of the if clause in Greek indicates that the content of the clause is assumed to be true. That is why Good News Translation translates it as a statement: “It is God who clothes the wild grass….” The form of the argument, which moves from the lesser to the greater, is typically Jewish: God cares for the wild grass (the lesser) and, therefore, he will care for you (the greater). For this same form of argument, see 7.11.

In addition to the way Good News Translation has restructured, translators may try “Just as God … so he will much more…” or “Since God clothes … therefore even more….” This can also be made into a statement and a question: “God clothes the grass of the field like that, and the grass is alive today and burned up tomorrow. Don’t you think he will be even more sure to clothe you?”

Grass of the field (Good News Translation “wild grass”). The reference may well include, or be equivalent to, wild flowers.

Some languages will just have “grass,” since they make no distinction between wild grass and any other. Or they may say “the grass growing everywhere.”

The grass today is alive, that is, it is “living today” or “is here one day (and burned the next).”

Thrown into is translated “burned up” by Good News Translation, which focuses upon the end result of the action and indicates what happens to the grass after it is thrown into the oven. In place of into the oven, New English Bible has “on the stove,” and New American Bible renders “on the fire.” The situation is that of an earthen oven into which dead grass and weeds were thrown and used for fuel. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch equates “grass” of this verse with “wild flowers” of the previous verse and does not mention “oven”: “If God so clothes the wild flowers which blossom today and tomorrow are burned up….”

In many languages it is not normal to burn grass in an oven, and translators will do better to say simply “burned up” or “burned up in someone’s fire.”

Will he not much more clothe you represents one part of the Greek sentence, which is literally “(will he) not much more (clothe) you.” The restructuring of Revised Standard Version necessitates the repetition of the verb clothe. In fact, even those translations which are generally rather formal have for the most part felt the need to repeat the verb. The question may be rendered as a strong affirmative statement; for example, “you can be sure then that he will clothe you.”

God will much more clothe you. This can mean that he will give you better or more clothing, but most translators take it to mean he will more surely clothe you. Examples of possible translations include “don’t you think he is even more likely to clothe you?” and “he is even more certain to provide clothes for you.”

O men of little faith translates one word in the Greek text, a noun of address. Good News Translation has “What little faith you have.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “Have more faith!” Elsewhere in the New Testament this word is used in Matthew 8.26; 14.31; 16.8; and Luke 12.28.

Many translators will make this a short sentence such as “You have so little faith!” or “Your faith in God is so small!” Jesus is rebuking the people, and this tone should be communicated, however the sentence is translated.

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 6:30

6:30

In Greek and the Berean Standard Bible, 6:30 is one long, complicated sentence. It contains several clauses. It also contains a rhetorical question. In some languages, it will be more natural to divide this long sentence into several shorter sentences. The God’s Word is one example of an English version that divides this sentence into three sentences. Compare the Berean Standard Bible and the God’s Word below:

30aIf that is how God clothes the grass of the field, 30bwhich is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, 30cwill He not much more clothe you, 30dO you of little faith? (Berean Standard Bible)

30aThat’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. 30bToday it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an incinerator. 30cSo how much more will he clothe you people 30dwho have so little faith? (God’s Word)

It is also possible to divide this long sentence into four shorter sentences. For example:

30aThat’s the way God clothes the grass of the field. 30bToday it’s alive, and tomorrow it’s thrown into an oven. 30cWill he not clothe you even more? 30dYou have so little faith!

Before you translate this verse, consider how many sentences you should have and what is the most natural order to put them in.

6:30a

If: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as If can also be translated as “Since.” This is because the following statement is accepted as a fact.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

But if (English Standard Version)
-or-
Since

that is how God clothes the grass of the field: The clause that is how God clothes the grass of the field means that “God clothes the grass of the field in that way.” This is the way mentioned in 6:29. In other words, “God clothes grass/plants in a way that is more beautiful than Solomon’s clothes.” This means that “God causes plants to have flowers/blossoms that are more beautiful than the expensive clothes that Solomon wore.” God does not actually give clothes to the plants, but he makes them look beautiful.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

That’s the way God clothes the grass in the field. (God’s Word)
-or-
God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God causes plants to have very beautiful flowers/blossoms

the grass of the field: The phrase the grass of the field is a Jewish way of saying “wild grass/plants.” This refers to plants that grow in the countryside without being cultivated. It includes flowers like lilies (in 6:28b). It does not just refer to green grass.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

wild grass (NET Bible)
-or-
wildflowers (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
plants/weeds

6:30b

which is here today and tomorrow: The word today in this context means “for a short time,” and not a literal day. In the same way the word tomorrow here means “soon.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

that are here today and gone tomorrow (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
here for a short time and then
-or-
live for only a few days and shortly after
-or-
that last only a very short time before they die

is thrown into the furnace: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as furnace refers to a dome-like structure made of clay. Some English versions translate this word as “oven” (English Standard Version). People would heat it with wood to cook or bake food or warm themselves.

The verb is thrown is passive.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

• As a passive. For example:

burned up in the oven (Good News Translation)
-or-
is tossed into the fire to heat the oven (NET Bible)
-or-
and thrown into a fire (Contemporary English Version)

• As an active. For example:

⌊people⌋ put into an furnace ⌊to burn⌋
-or-

⌊people⌋ throw into the fire

6:30c

will He not much more clothe you…?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that God will certainly provide clothing for his people. God values people much more than grass, so he will provide for people’s needs even more than he provides beauty for the wild grasses.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? (Good News Translation)
-or-
He will much more surely provide clothes for you, won’t he?

• As a statement. For example:

So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. (New Century Version)
-or-
You can know more certainly that God will provide the clothes you need to wear

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

6:30d

O you of little faith?: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as O you of little faith describes the people listening and speaks directly to them.

The NET Bible also uses a phrase here to speak directly to the disciples (“you people of little faith”). If this is natural in your language, then follow the Berean Standard Bible or NET Bible. But if it is not natural in your language to speak directly to a person or persons and at the same time describe them, you may use a complete clause. For example:

You have such little faith!
-or-
How little faith you have! (Revised English Bible)
-or-
You trust/believe ⌊in God⌋ so little!

-or-

Why do you have such little faith? (Contemporary English Version)

See also believe, Meaning 2 in the Glossary.

General Comment on 6:30d

In some languages, it may be more natural to put 6:30d at the beginning of the verse. For example:

30dYou ⌊people⌋ of such little faith. 30aIf God ⌊beautifully⌋ clothes the wild grass in that way, 30bwhich is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the ovens, 30cthen will he not much more surely provide clothing for you?

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