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OET (OET-LV) Also you, Kafarnaʼoum, ˓will˒_ not _be_being_exalted to heaven?
You_will_be_coming_down to Haidaʸs.
Because if the miracles which having_become in you were_become in Sodoma/(Şədom), would remained until the day today.
OET (OET-RV) Same with you, Capernaum. You won’t be lifted up to heaven but you’ll be sent down to hell, because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Sodom, that city would still be here today.
In this section, Jesus rebuked the Jews of certain towns. They had heard him preach and had seen him do miracles, but still they refused to repent and believe in him. Jesus stated that many Gentiles were more likely to trust him than the Jews were. As a result, God will judge these Jews more harshly than he will judge the Gentiles. Jesus said these things because he hoped that some of them would be shamed into repenting and believing him.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Jesus warns the Jews of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum
Judgment for the Unbelievers (NLT)
Verses 11:23–24 contain a figure of speech called apostrophe.The name of this figure of speech is spelled and pronounced the same as the punctuation mark used to show contractions, but with a different meaning. For more information, see Translation Problems A to Z, Apostrophe. In this figure of speech, Jesus spoke to the town of Capernaum as if it were a person.
Here are some other ways to translate this verse:
Keep the apostrophe as in the BSB.
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?
Translate it so that Jesus is speaking to the people of the town. For example:
23aPeople of Capernaum, do you think you will be honored in heaven? (CEV)
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven?
And you(sing), Capernaum, do you(sing) think that you will be lifted to heaven? You will not!
As for you(plur) people of the town of Capernaum, do not think that God will lift you(plur) up to heaven to honor you.
And you, Capernaum: The phrase And you, Capernaum shows that Jesus had finished talking about Chorazin and Bethsaida at the end of 11:22. Here in 11:23 he was beginning to talk about Capernaum. Consider how to show this change in subject in your language. For example:
And as for you, Capernaum! (GNT)
Capernaum: The word Capernaum is the name of another town where Jews lived. Jesus often stayed in the town of Capernaum during his ministry around Lake Galilee. Although he did many miracles in this town, most of the people there did not believe in him. The people of Capernaum were like the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida: many people did not believe in Jesus.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
the town of Capernaum
people of the town of Capernaum
will you be lifted up to heaven?: Before you translate this clause, there are three issues to consider:
Issue 1: Meaning
The Greek word that the BSB translates as lifted up means “caused to have high status” or “honored.” In order to show this high status, a person was often lifted higher than other people.
This verb is contrasted with “brought down” in 11:23b. So, if possible, you should translate both the aspect of “honor” and the aspect of “lifted up.” To do this, you may need to use two verbs. For example:
lifted to heaven and honored there
English versions focus on only one aspect. For example:
lifted to heaven (GW)
honored in heaven (NLT)
Issue 2: Rhetorical Question
This is a rhetorical question. It expresses in question form what the people of Capernaum probably believed about themselves. They were proud of themselves and believed that they would be exalted/lifted to heaven and honored there. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that they certainly would not be lifted/raised to a position of honor in heaven. His words also imply a rebuke to the people of Capernaum.
Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke and emphasis:
As a rhetorical question. For example:
do you think that you will be lifted/raised to a position of great honor in heaven?
do you think you will be honored in heaven? (CEV) In Greek, the form of this rhetorical question implies that the people of Capernaum would not be lifted to heaven. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No. (NET)
As a statement. For example:
you are certainly not going to be raised to heaven and honored there.
you should not think that you will be lifted to heaven and honored there more than other people.
Issue 3: Passive
This clause is passive. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Use a passive verb. For example:
will you be lifted up to heaven (NCV)
Use an active verb. For example:
will God lift you to heaven to honor you?
No, you will be brought down to Hades!
You(sing) will be thrown down to hell.
Instead, he will throw you(plur) down to the place of fire/punishment.
you will be brought down: There is a textual issue here:
Some Greek manuscripts have a verb that means “you will be brought/thrown down.” This verb implies the use of force. For example:
you will be thrown down (GNT) (BSB, RSV, ESV, GNT, NJB, NET, REB, KJV, NCV, NLT96)
Other Greek manuscripts have a verb that means “you will go down.” For example:
You will descend (NASB) (NIV, NASB, NLT, GW, CEV, JBP)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation corresponds with the passive in 11:23a and is a direct contrast with it. Instead of being lifted up and honored, the people of Capernaum will be brought down to a place of humiliation and punishment.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Use a passive verb. For example:
you will be thrown down (NCV)
Use an active verb. For example:
God will throw you down
to Hades: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Hades means “the world of the dead.” In this context, it refers to hell. It is the place where God will punish people who did not believe in Jesus. It is the opposite of “heaven” in 11:23a.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
hell (GNT)
the place of the dead (NLT)
the place of fire/punishment
if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day: This is another long sentence that begins with an if clause. It is further complicated because it contrasts two situations. The first situation is a real situation: Jesus did miracles in the Jewish town of Capernaum. It is implied that the people of that town did not repent. The second situation is a hypothetical situation: If Jesus had done those same miracles in the Gentile town of Sodom, the people of that town would have repented and the town would still exist.
In some languages, it will be natural to divide this long sentence into several shorter sentences. For example:
I did miracles in your town, but you did not repent. If, for example, I had done these same miracles in the town of Sodom, that town would still exist today.
I did miracles in your town, but you did not repent. Suppose that I had done these same miracles in the town of Sodom. The people of that town are not Jews, but they would have repented long ago. As a result, their town would still remain.
For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom,
I say this because if I had done the miracles in the town of Sodom which I did in your(sing) town,
I did miracles in your town, but you did not repent. If I had done these same miracles in the town of Sodom,
I did miracles in your town, but you did not turn away from your sins. Suppose that I had done these same miracles in the town of Sodom. The people of that town were not Jews, but
For: Verses 11:23c–d explain the reason why Jesus rebuked the people of the town of Capernaum (in 11:23a–b). The Greek introduces this explanation with a conjunction that the BSB translates as For.
Here is another way to introduce this explanation:
I say this because
Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.
if the miracles that were performed in you: The Greek word that the BSB translates as miracles can also be translated as “mighty works” (as in the ESV). Here Jesus referred to the miracles that he has done in the Jewish town of Capernaum. It is implied that even though he did miracles there, the Jewish people in Capernaum did not repent.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
If the miracles I did in you (NLT)
If the miracles that took place in your town (CEV)
I did miracles in your town, but you Jews did not repent
had been performed in Sodom: This part of the “if” clause is hypothetical. This means that it refers to something that did not happen. Jesus did not do miracles in the town of Sodom. But if he had done miracles there, the people there would have repented.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
had been done in Sodom but they were not done
I did not do miracles in Sodom. But if I had done miracles there
If, for example, I had done these same miracles in the town of Sodom
Sodom: The word Sodom refers to a town that God destroyed long before Jesus’ time because the people were so evil (Genesis 19).
it would have remained to this day.
it would still be standing today.
the people of that town would have repented and their town would still exist today.
they would have repented, and God would not have destroyed them and their town.
it would have remained to this day: This clause means that the town of Sodom would have remained in existence. God would not have destroyed it. The people of Sodom, after seeing the miracles, would have repented, and God would not have destroyed them and their town.
This clause is another part of the hypothetical statement. The Gentile people in the town of Sodom did not see Jesus’ miracles. They did not repent, and God did not spare their town. He destroyed it.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
it would still be there today (GW)
that town would still be standing (CEV)
God would not have destroyed it
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ? ἕως ᾍδου καταβήσῃ; ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Much as in [11:21](../11/21.md), Jesus is addressing something that he knows cannot hear him, the city of Capernaum. He is doing this to show his listeners in a strong way how he feels about that city. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words as if he were speaking directly to people about these cities. Alternate translation: [And Capernaum will not be exalted to heaven, will it? It will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that happened in it had happened in Sodom, Sodom would have remained until today]
Note 2 topic: translate-textvariants
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ? ἕως ᾍδου καταβήσῃ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Many ancient manuscripts read And you, Capernaum, you will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down as far as Hades. The ULT follows that reading. Other ancient manuscripts read “And you, Capernaum, the one being exalted to heaven, will be brought down as far as Hades.” If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT.
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ?
you Capernaum (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Jesus uses a rhetorical question to rebuke the people of Capernaum for their pride, because they think that they will be exalted to heaven. 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: [you, Capernaum, will certainly not be exalted to heaven.] or [you, Capernaum, will by no means be exalted to heaven!]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular
σύ & μὴ & ὑψωθήσῃ & καταβήσῃ & σοί
you & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Jesus is addressing an individual city in each of these phrases, so you is singular throughout this verse.
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
Καφαρναούμ & ἐν Σοδόμοις
Capernaum & in Sodom
The words Capernaum and Sodom refer to the people who live in those cities. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [people of Capernaum … among the people of Sodom]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
The phrase be exalted refers to receiving honor. To be exalted all the way up to heaven indicates that this honor is very great. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [you will not be honored greatly, will you]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
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. If you need to say who does the action, it is clear from the context that it is God. Alternate translation: Alternate translation: [God will not exalt you to heaven, will he?]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἕως ᾍδου καταβήσῃ
to to Hades (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
The phrase be brought down refers to experiencing punishment and dishonor. To be brought down all the way to Hades indicates that this punishment and dishonor are very great. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [You will be punished severely]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
ἕως ᾍδου καταβήσῃ
to to Hades (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
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. If you need to say who does the action, it is clear from the context that it is God. Alternate translation: [God will bring you down as far as Hades]
Note 10 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
ὅτι
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
The word For introduces a reason why Jesus says that Capernaum will go down to Hades. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a statement, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [I say this about you because] or [That is because]
Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
In Jesus’ culture, people knew that Sodom was a city where many wicked people had lived. God punished these people by destroying them. You can read about what happened in [Genesis 19:1–29](../gen/19/01.md). You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [God destroyed the city of Sodom because it was so wicked. But even those people would have repented, and Sodom would have remained until today, if they had seen the miracles which happened in you. So the people of Capernaum certainly should have repented as well]
Note 12 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical
εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον
if in Sodom ˓were˒_become the miracles which ˓having˒_become in you remained (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Jesus is describing a situation that might have happened in the past but actually did not. He is doing this to express disappointment and regret about what is happening in the present. Be sure to translate this in such a way that your readers will know that this event actually did not happen, but make sure they will understand why Jesus is imagining Capernaum suffering as did Sodom. Alternate translation: [suppose that the miracles had happened in Sodom which happened in you. That city would have remained until today]
Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον
remained (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί σύ Καφαρναούμ μή ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ ἕως ᾍδου Καταβήσῃ Ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί ἔμεινεν ἄν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον)
Jesus means that God would not have destroyed the city of Sodom because its people would have repented when they saw the miracles. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [it would have remained until today because its people would have repented] or [they would have stopped sinning, and so the city would not have been destroyed]
Note 14 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
μέχρι τῆς σήμερον
until the_‹day› today
The phrase until today indicates that something is true or exists at the time when the speaker is speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [up to our time] or [even now]
11:23 the place of the dead: Greek Hades, which corresponds to the Hebrew term Sheol (see study note on Ps 6:5).
OET (OET-LV) Also you, Kafarnaʼoum, ˓will˒_ not _be_being_exalted to heaven?
You_will_be_coming_down to Haidaʸs.
Because if the miracles which having_become in you were_become in Sodoma/(Şədom), would remained until the day today.
OET (OET-RV) Same with you, Capernaum. You won’t be lifted up to heaven but you’ll be sent down to hell, because if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Sodom, that city would still be here today.
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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