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OET (OET-LV) Not two sparrows is_being_sold for_an_assarion_coin?
And not one of them will_be_falling to the ground, apart_from the father of_you_all.
OET (OET-RV) Aren’t two sparrows sold for almost nothing? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your father being involved.
In this section, Jesus gave various instructions to the twelve apostles. In 10:5–15, he gave them some practical instructions for preaching the good news. In 10:16–33, he described the opposition that they would see when they went out. Lastly, in 10:34–42, he described the commitment required to be a disciple and the reward for being a disciple.
You may want to break this long section into several shorter sections. Here is an example:
Section 10:5–15 | The things the apostles should/must do when sent |
Section 10:16–33 | The difficulties the apostles will face |
Section 10:34–42 | The cost and reward of following Jesus |
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Jesus gave directions/instructions to the twelve apostles for preaching the gospel
The Mission of the Twelve (GNT)
Instructions for the Twelve Apostles (CEV)
This parable shows that God is greatly concerned for the well-being of people who believe in him. The parable shows this by comparing the way God values sparrows to the way he values people.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Two sparrows are sold for a single coin, isn’t that right/so?
You(plur) can buy two small birds with/for little money.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?: This is a rhetorical question. The rhetorical question emphasizes the fact that people put little value on sparrows. A penny is the smallest amount of money. Yet, people could buy two sparrows with one penny.
Here are some other ways to translate the emphasis:
As a rhetorical question. For example:
Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? (NJB)
Two sparrows are sold for only a penny, isn’t that right?
As a statement. For example:
Two sparrows are sold for just a penny
For only a penny you can buy two sparrows (GNT)
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
sparrows: The word sparrows refers to a kind of small bird that was sold for food. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
Use a descriptive phrase and transliterate the word sparrow. For example:
small birds called sparrows
sparrow birds
Use a generic phrase. For example:
small birds
Use a common bird in your area that is small and that people eat. For example:
rice birds
penny: The Greek word that the BSB translates as penny refers to a small coin. It had little value. Sixteen of these coins were equal to one denarius. (A denarius was the usual wage for a farm worker for one day at that time.) Because the value of money changes, it is recommended that you use a general term. For example:
a small coin
very little money
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground dead without your Father’s permission.
Even so not one of them will die unless your Father God wants it to happen.
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground: This clause is an idiom. It means “not one bird will die.” For example:
not even one of them can die (NCV)
apart from the will of your Father: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as apart from the will of your Father is more literally “without your Father.” There are several ways to interpret this phrase:
This phrase refers to the will of God regarding the sparrows. Not one sparrow dies without God willing it. For example:
apart from the will of your Father (NIV) (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, GW, NET)
This phrase refers to the knowledge of God regarding the sparrows. Not one sparrow dies without God knowing it:
without your Father knowing (NJB) (NJB, NLT, CEV, JBP, REB, NCV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) because it seems to best fit the context. Just as a sparrow will not die unless it is the will of God, a disciple will not be persecuted unless it is the will of God.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
without your Father’s permission (GW)
only if/when your heavenly Father allows it
unless/except your Father God wants it to happen
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo
οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται? καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
Jesus applies what he says here about sparrows to his disciples in [10:31](../10/31.md). So, you do not need to include any implied information in this verse.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
Jesus is using the question form to show the disciples how inexpensive sparrows are. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [Two sparrows are sold for an assarion.] or [You know that two sparrows are sold for an assarion!]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
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: [Do people not sell two sparrows for an assarion]
Note 4 topic: translate-unknown
στρουθία
sparrows
The word sparrows refers to small, seed-eating birds. If your readers would not know what sparrows are, you could use a general expression instead. Alternate translation: [small birds]
Note 5 topic: translate-bmoney
ἀσσαρίου
˱for˲_˓an˒_assarion
An assarion was a small copper coin equivalent to about half an hour’s wage. You could try to express this amount in terms of current monetary values, but that might cause your Bible translation to become outdated and inaccurate since those values can change over time. So instead, you might state something more general or give the equivalent in wages. Alternate translation: [for a small copper coin] or [for half an hour’s wage]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives
ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
If it would be clearer in your language, you could use a positive expression to translate this double negative that consists of the negative particle not and the negative phrase apart from. Alternate translation: [each one of them falls to ground in the presence of your Father]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism
πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
˓will_be˒_falling (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
The phrase fall to the ground refers politely to the sparrow dying. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a form that politely refers to an animal dying, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [will pass away] or [will perish]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν
apart_from the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
The phrase apart from your Father could indicate that something happens: (1) without the Father’s knowledge. Alternate translation: [apart from the knowledge of your Father] (2) without the Father’s will. Alternate translation: [apart from the will of your Father] (3) without the Father’s care or interest. Alternate translation: [apart from the care of your Father]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν
the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐχί δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται Καί ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὒ πεσεῖται ἐπί τήν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρός ὑμῶν)
This is a figurative expression. God is not the Father of humans in the same actual way that he is the Father of Jesus. Even so, it would probably be best to translate Father with the same word that your language would naturally use to refer to a human father. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that this means God. Alternate translation: [God, who is your Father,]
10:29-31 Because God cares about every sparrow, and because Jesus’ disciples are much more valuable, certainly the disciples need not fear—God will providentially care for them.
OET (OET-LV) Not two sparrows is_being_sold for_an_assarion_coin?
And not one of them will_be_falling to the ground, apart_from the father of_you_all.
OET (OET-RV) Aren’t two sparrows sold for almost nothing? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your father being involved.
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.