OET interlinear MAT 3:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γάρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a further explanation of what Matthew has said about John the Baptist. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an explanation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: “In fact,” or “Now”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὁ ῥηθεὶς

the_‹one› /having_been/_spoken

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “the one about whom the Lord spoke”

Note 3 topic: writing-quotations

λέγοντος

saying

In Matthew’s culture, saying was a normal way to introduce a quotation from an important text, in this case, the Old Testament book written by Isaiah the prophet (see Isaiah 40:3). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that Matthew is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: “who wrote in his book” or “who declared”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

φωνὴ βοῶντος

/the/_voice ˱of˲_/a/_shouting_‹one›

Isaiah is using voice to represent a person speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “A person calling out” or “Someone calling out”

Note 5 topic: writing-quotations

βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

˱of˲_/a/_shouting_‹one› in the desert

Consider natural ways of introducing direct quotations in your language. Alternate translation: “of one calling out in the wilderness and saying” or “of one calling out in the wilderness, declaring”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

τῇ ἐρήμῳ: ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου; εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ

the desert prepare the way ˱of˲_/the/_Lord straight /be/_making the paths ˱of˲_him

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. If you do, you will need to delete the single quotation mark at the end of this quotation. Alternate translation: “the wilderness that people must make ready the way of the Lord, that they must make his paths straight”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου; εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ

prepare the way ˱of˲_/the/_Lord straight /be/_making the paths ˱of˲_him

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a connecting word in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “Make ready the way of the Lord, yes, make his paths straight”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου; εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ

prepare the way ˱of˲_/the/_Lord straight /be/_making the paths ˱of˲_him

Here Isaiah speaks as if people should build and maintain roads for the Lord to travel on as he comes to visit his people. He means that people need to be living and acting in the proper ways when the Lord appears to his people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the metaphor in simile form or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Live and behave in a way that pleases God, as if you were making a road ready for him to travel on”