OET interlinear MAT 3:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς

/to_be/_saying among yourselves

Here, the phrase in yourselves could indicate that the Pharisees and Sadducees might speak: (1) within themselves, which would be thinking privately. Alternate translation: “to say within yourselves” or “to say to yourselves” (2) within their group, which would be speaking to each other. Alternate translation: “to say to each other”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ

among yourselves father ˱we˲_/are/_having ¬the Abraham

It may be more natural in your language to have an indirect quotation here. If you use the following alternate translation, you will need to delete the quotation mark at the end of the sentence. Alternate translation: “among yourselves that you have Abraham as father”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πατέρα

father

Here, the word father means “ancestor.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a similar phrase or plain language. Alternate translation: “as ancestor”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a reason why the Pharisees and Sadducees should not say We have Abraham as father. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a command, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: “In fact,” or “You should not say that because”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

ὑμῖν, ὅτι δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ

˱to˲_you_all that /is/_able ¬the God out_of the stones these /to/_raise children ¬the ˱to˲_Abraham

It may be more natural in your language to have a direct quotation here. Alternate translation: “to you, ‘God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.’”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

δύναται ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ

/is/_able ¬the God out_of the stones these /to/_raise children ¬the ˱to˲_Abraham

Here John means that God can create children for Abraham at any time and in any way he wants, even from stones. He means that people who have Abraham as father will not receive special treatment from God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “God is able to create other children for Abraham, even from these stones” or “God can raise up more children for Abraham any time he wants to, and he could turn even these stones into children for Abraham”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ

children ¬the ˱to˲_Abraham

Here, the word children means “descendants.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a similar phrase or plain language. Alternate translation: “people descended from Abraham”