OET interlinear MAT 11:11

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν

among /the/_born_‹ones› ˱of˲_women

The phrase those born of women refers to all people who have lived. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “among all the people who have ever lived”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν

among /the/_born_‹ones› ˱of˲_women

If you would like to retain the idiom but your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “among those whom women have borne”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

οὐκ ἐγήγερται & μείζων

not /has_been/_raised & greater_‹than›

Jesus is using a figure of speech here that expresses a strongly positive meaning by using a negative word, not, together with an expression that is the opposite of the intended meaning, greater. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the positive meaning. Alternate translation: “there have only arisen ones lesser than”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὐκ ἐγήγερται

not /has_been/_raised

Here Jesus speaks of people having lived as if they had arisen, or stood up. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “there has not existed” or “there has not lived”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ὁ & μικρότερος

¬the & /the/_least

Matthew is using the adjective least as a noun to mean people who are not very important. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this phrase with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “the least important person”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν

greater_‹than› greater_‹than› he is

The implication is that being part of the kingdom of the heavens is greater than any human distinctive. So anyone who is part of the kingdom is greater than even John, whom Jesus said was the greatest person who had ever lived before the coming of the kingdom. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “is greater than John is because he or she is part of something greater than anything that is human”