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OET (OET-LV) And why are_you_looking at_the speck which in the eye of_the brother of_you, but you_are_ not _observing the beam which in your own eye?
OET (OET-RV) “How come you notice the speck in someone else’s eye, yet don’t even notice the log that’s in your own eye?
In this section, Jesus spoke about how his true disciples should think and act. He spoke about this immediately after he had chosen twelve of his disciples to be his apostles. Jesus said many things about this topic in his speech, so that people have often called this particular speech of Jesus a “sermon.”
In this sermon, Jesus asked those who heard him to be different from other people in the world and to think differently. He encouraged his disciples to obey his authority and live as people of God. They should be generous and merciful even to their enemies, as God is generous to everyone. Jesus assured his disciples that they would be blessed and rewarded for their obedience and for suffering for him. He concluded his speech by telling parables to motivate his disciples to obey his teaching.
Another possible heading for this section is:
The Sermon on the Plain (NET)
Some English versions divide 6:17–49 into several sections. Here is one way that might be done:
6:17–26 Blessings and woes
6:27–36 Love your enemies
6:37–42 Do not judge
6:43–45 A tree and its fruit
6:46–49 Two foundations
The sermon in 6:17–49 is similar to the sermon commonly referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew chapters 5–7.
In this paragraph, Jesus continued to challenge his disciples to be good leaders. He stated that a good leader examines his life to makes sure that he obeys all of Jesus’ teachings. The disciple must change any of his attitudes and actions that do not conform to Jesus’ teaching. Only then can the disciple lead others to examine and change their lives.
Jesus used rhetorical questions to emphasize his teaching. He also used a metaphor and exaggeration. The very small piece of wood and the very large beam represent a person’s faults or sins that he should abandon. The exaggerated contrast between something very small and something very large emphasizes what Jesus was saying. It is wrong to condemn a friend for his faults if you have not critically examined and changed your own behavior.
In 6:41–42 Jesus used the singular form of “you.” However, in these verses he gave a general teaching that applies to any disciple. Use appropriate forms in your language for this. You may want to refer to the note on 6:27b–28, which gives suggestions for forms to use for general commands.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to rebuke his disciples. He rebuked them for seeing a small fault in another person’s life and not seeing a large fault in their own life. Jesus was emphasizing that a person’s sins blind him so that he cannot help others. A person who does not examine his own life will be like a blind guide.
Some ways to translate this rebuke are:
As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? (NCV)
As a statement or an exclamation. For example:
You can see the speck in your friend’s eye. But you don’t notice the log in your own eye. (CEV)
You should not pay attention to the dust in your brother’s eye while ignoring the plank of wood in your own eye!
Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye,
¶ “Why do you(sing) see the little piece of sawdust in your(sing) brother’s eye,
¶ “You can see the speck in your friend’s eye. (CEV)
¶ “You notice the small faults/sins that your brother does/has, though they are like a speck of sawdust in his eye. You are wrong to look at those
Why do you look at: The Greek word that the BSB translates as look at is literally “see.” In this context, this word implies that the person does more than “see” the speck of sawdust. He also criticizes him for it.
the speck in your brother’s eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates as speck refers to a very small bit of wood, straw, or dust. Some other ways to translate this are:
piece of sawdust (GW)
little piece of dust (NCV)
Jesus was using the speck as a metaphor to refer to a small fault or sin of another person. If the meaning of the metaphor is not clear to people in your culture, you could say:
the small faults/sins that your brother does/has, which are like a speck of sawdust in his eye
in your brother’s eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates literally as brother’s refers in this context to anyone from the same religious community. It does not refer only to a blood relative. You could use the word “brother” if it can be used in a general sense. Or you may have a general word for everyone from your same community or clan. If not, some other ways to translate this could be:
your friend’s eye (NLT)
your companion’s/neighbor’s eye
someone else’s eye
but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
but you do not notice/recognize the wooden beam in your own eye?
But you don’t notice the log in your own eye. (CEV)
and yet ignore the big faults/sins that you do/have which are like a plank in your own eye!
but fail to notice: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as fail to notice means “not consider carefully.” It includes the idea of “you do not see and so you are not aware of.” Some other ways to translate this are:
don’t notice (CEV)
fail to notice (JBP)
the beam in your own eye: The Greek word that the BSB translates as beam refers to a large, heavy piece of wood. It is usually used as a beam in building a house. Some other ways to translate this word are:
log (GNT)
plank (NIV)
big piece of wood (NCV)
Jesus was using the beam as a metaphor to refer to a large fault or sin that a disciple had done. If the meaning of the metaphor is not clear to people in your culture, you could say:
the big faults/sins that you do/have, which are like a beam in your own eye
It is, of course, impossible to have a beam in your eye. Jesus used the exaggerated contrast between something small and something large to emphasize what he was teaching. Jesus was teaching that it is wrong and hypocritical to condemn a friend for his faults if you have not examined and changed your own behavior.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
τί & βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ δοκὸν τὴν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὐ κατανοεῖς?
why & ˱you˲_˓are˒_looking (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
Jesus is using this question as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: [do not look at the speck in your brother’s eye while ignoring the log in your own eye!]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τί & βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου
why & ˱you˲_˓are˒_looking (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
This is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [you should not criticize the less important faults of a fellow believer]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd
βλέπεις & σου & τῷ ἰδίῳ & οὐ κατανοεῖς
˱you˲_˓are˒_looking & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
Even though Jesus is still speaking to his disciples and the crowd, he is addressing an individual situation here, so you and your are singular in this verse. But if the singular forms of these pronouns would not be natural in your language, you could use the plural forms in your translation.
Note 4 topic: translate-unknown
τὸ κάρφος
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
If your readers would not be familiar with the speck of wood, in your translation you could use a phrase that describes the smallest thing that commonly falls into a person’s eyes in your culture, or you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: [the grain of sand] or [the tiny object]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου
˱of˲_the brother (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
The term brother refers to a fellow believer in Jesus. Alternate translation: [of a fellow believer]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ
˱of˲_the brother
This fellow believer could be either a man or a woman, so be sure that this is clear in your translation, for example, by using both the masculine and feminine forms of the word for “believer.”
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τὴν δὲ δοκὸν τὴν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὐ κατανοεῖς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
This phrase is a metaphor. Alternate translation: [while ignoring your own serious faults]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
τὴν & δοκὸν τὴν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
A log could not literally go into a person’s eye. Jesus is exaggerating to emphasize his point and make it memorable. Alternate translation: [your own serious faults]
Note 9 topic: translate-unknown
δοκὸν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Δέ βλέπεις τό κάρφος τό ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σοῦ τήν δέ δοκόν τήν ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀφθαλμῷ οὒ κατανοεῖς)
You could translate this with the term for the kind of long, large piece of wood that people in your culture would encounter. Or if your readers would not be familiar with wood, you could use a general expression. Alternate translation: [beam] or [plank] or [large object]
OET (OET-LV) And why are_you_looking at_the speck which in the eye of_the brother of_you, but you_are_ not _observing the beam which in your own eye?
OET (OET-RV) “How come you notice the speck in someone else’s eye, yet don’t even notice the log that’s in your own eye?
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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