The Greek that is translated with the capitalized “Father” in English when referring to God is translated in Highland Totonac with the regular word for (biological) father to which a suffix is added to indicate respect. The same also is used for “Lord” when referring to Jesus. (Source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )
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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. In the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017, God the Father is addressed with mi-chichi (御父). This form has the “divine” honorific prefix mi– preceding the archaic honorific form chichi for “father.”
If, however, Jesus addresses his Father, he is using chichi-o (父を) which is also highly respectful but does not have the “divine” honorific. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kokoro (みこころ) or “will (of God)” in the referenced verses. Two verses (Ezra 10:11 and Ephesians 1:9) use mi-mune (みむね) with the same honorific prefix and meaning.
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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kuchi (御国) or “kingdom (of God)” in the referenced verses. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
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 choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
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 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, o-rare-ru (おられる) or “is/be present” is used.
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®).
The construction Not every one who says to me, “Lord, Lord’ may have to be expressed as “It will not be everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ ” “Not all people…,” or “Even some people who say to me ‘Lord, Lord’ won’t….”
There is some disagreement regarding the precise meaning of Lord in this verse. The Lukan parallel (6.46) suggests the possible meaning of “teacher,” and some scholars believe that originally the meaning was either “teacher” or “master.” But apparently no translations follow this interpretation. The next verse is an obvious reference to the exalted Lord on the day of judgment, and this is surely the meaning that Matthew intends here. The majority of translations accept this interpretation.
The repetition of the noun of address, Lord, Lord, is somewhat unnatural following either the verb says or the verb “calls” (Good News Translation). The meaning is “not everyone who is in the habit of saying that I am his Lord….” Phillips translates “It is not everyone who keeps saying to me ‘Lord, Lord’….” Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition renders “Not everyone who constantly has my name in his mouth….” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “It is not sufficient to say to me: ‘Lord, Lord!’ ” One way that closely reflects the meaning is “It won’t be everyone who constantly says I am his Lord” or “… who is constantly acknowledging me as his Lord.” Another way is “It is not enough to always be saying I am Lord. Not all those who do that will enter the kingdom of heaven.” There will be languages where the idea will most easily be expressed as “Not all people who say to me ‘You are the one I serve.’ ”
Kingdom of heaven is synonymous with “Kingdom of God” (New American Bible). Most translations reproduce a literal rendering of the Greek text, but a few are dynamic: “… will come into God’s new world” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), “… will become a member of God’s people” (INCL), and “… will enjoy the blessings of God’s rule” (Malay common language version).
We discussed enter the kingdom of heaven at 5.20. In addition to the suggestions there and the ways that we cited above, other ways to express this phrase include “will be among the people who receive the blessings of God’s rule” or “will be a part of God’s reign.”
The contrast signaled by but sometimes is shown by a new sentence, as in “It is (only) the person who does what God my Father in heaven wants who will be a part of God’s reign.”
Does the will means simply to do what God requires or wants done.
Note that as we have seen elsewhere, my Father who is in heaven refers to God. This fact may have to be made explicit as “God my Father….”
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 .
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter: The clause who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ means “who calls me their Lord/Master.”
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Among those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ not all of them will enter
-or-
Some people who say to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will not enter
In some languages, it may be more natural to make Lord, Lord indirect speech. For example:
Not everyone who calls me his Lord/Master will enter
Lord, Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “master,” “owner” or “a person who has great authority.” It is used to refer to someone greater in status or power. People used it to address God the Father and Jesus. See how you translated this word in 3:3 and 5:33.
The double address of Lord, Lord probably indicates honor, respect, and deep emotion. The speakers were insisting that Jesus is their Lord. But as 7:23 indicates, the people who said this were not true followers of Jesus.
In some languages this double address will indicate a different meaning. If that is true in your language, indicate the honor and respect in another way. For example:
my Lord
-or-
dear/beloved Lord
will enter the kingdom of heaven: In this context, the word enter refers to “becoming a citizen of.” When people believe in Jesus, they become citizens/members of the kingdom of heaven.
The phrase the kingdom of heaven refers to God’s activity of ruling and caring for his people as their king. It does not refer to a land or country that he rules over. It refers to the relationship that he has with his people. He leads, protects, and cares for them. They obey, trust, and submit to him as their king.
Here Matthew used the word heaven as a Hebrew idiom to humbly refer to God.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
become a citizen of the kingdom of heaven
-or-
become one of those who are in the kingdom of ⌊the one who lives in⌋ heaven
-or-
be added to those over whom God rules
-or-
will God make part of his reign
This clause also occurs in 5:20.
7:21b
but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven: The verb and object from 7:21a are implied but are not repeated. The complete sentence would be: but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven ⌊will enter the kingdom of heaven⌋.
It may be more natural in your language to include some of the implied words. For example:
but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven ⌊will become one of the people whom God rules⌋
-or-
but ⌊the person whom God will make part of his reign is⌋ the person who does my heavenly Father’s will
does the will of My Father in heaven: This clause means “does what God desires.”
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
does what my Father in heaven wants (God’s Word)
-or-
obey my Father in heaven (Contemporary English Version)
My Father in heaven: The clause in heaven further describes Jesus’ Father, namely, God. It does not imply that there are other fathers of Jesus and only this one is in heaven. In some languages, it will be necessary to translate the correct meaning in a different way. For example:
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