OET interlinear MAT 17:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-tense

λέγει

/is/_saying

To call attention to a development in the story, Matthew uses the present tense in past narration. If it would not be natural to do that in your language, you could use the past tense in your translation. Alternate translation: “said”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

διὰ τὴν ὀλιγοπιστίαν ὑμῶν

because_of the little_faith ˱of˲_you_all

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of faith, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “Because you believe so little”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces an explanation about how much faith the disciples need. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces an explanation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: “In fact,” or “Here is what I mean:”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, μετάβα ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν

if ˱you_all˲_/may_be/_having faith as /a/_seed ˱of˲_mustard ˱you_all˲_/will_be/_saying ¬the ˱to˲_mountain this move ˱from˲_here ˱to˲_there and ˱it˲_/will_be/_moving and nothing /will_be/_unattaining ˱for˲_you_all

Here Jesus uses an imaginary situation to show that a person with even a little bit of faith can do amazing things, like having a mountain move. Use a natural method in your language for introducing an imaginary situation. Alternate translation: “imagine that you had faith like a mustard seed. In that case, you could even say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move, and nothing would be impossible for you”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως

faith as /a/_seed ˱of˲_mustard

Jesus is saying that their faith might be like a mustard seed because both would be very small. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “faith as small as a mustard seed”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

κόκκον σινάπεως

/a/_seed ˱of˲_mustard

A mustard seed is a very small seed that grows into a large plant. If your readers would not be familiar with this kind of seed, in your translation you could use the name of another seed like it, or you could use a general phrase. Alternate translation: “a very small seed”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ, μετάβα ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ

¬the ˱to˲_mountain this move ˱from˲_here ˱to˲_there and

It may be more natural in your language to have an indirect quotation here. Alternate translation: “to this mountain that you want it move from here to there, and”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ

¬the ˱to˲_mountain this

Here, the phrase this mountain refers to the mountain from which Jesus and three of his disciples had just come down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “to the mountain I was just on”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

μετάβα

move

Here, the command is singular because someone is speaking to one mountain.

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ

˱from˲_here ˱to˲_there

Here Jesus is not referring to specific locations. Instead, he is referring to telling the mountain to move from where it is to some other location. Use a form that refers to changing locations without specifying where those locations are. Alternate translation: “from this place to another place”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει

nothing /will_be/_unattaining

If it would be clearer in your language, you could use a positive expression to translate this double negative that consists of the negative word nothing and the negative word impossible. Alternate translation: “everything will be possible”