OET interlinear MAT 22:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-tense

ἀποστέλλουσιν

˱they˲_˓are˒_sending_out

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: [they sent]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν

the Herodians

The Herodians were a group of people who supported the ruler Herod Antipas. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a short phrase to describe them. Alternate translation: [people who wanted King Herod to continue to rule]

Note 3 topic: writing-quotations

λέγοντας

saying

Consider natural ways of introducing direct quotations in your language. Alternate translation: [and they said]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

εἶ & διδάσκεις & σοι & οὐ & βλέπεις

˱you˲_are & ˱you˲_˓are˒_teaching & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

Throughout this verse, the word you is singular because the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees are speaking to Jesus.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

The Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees are using the possessive form to describe a way that God desires or approves of. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the way that pleases God]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

Jesus uses the word way to refer to behavior in life. More specifically, he means that this behavior pleases God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable figure of speech or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [behavior that pleases God]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν ἀληθείᾳ

in truth

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of truth, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [in a truthful way]

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός, οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses, since the second clause gives the reason for the result that the first clause describes. Alternate translation: [since you do not look at the face of men, it is not a concern to you about anyone]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

The Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees use this clause to say that Jesus does not care what others think and say about him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [you do not concern yourself with the opinions of others] or [you are not influenced by what others think of you]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

The words translated as not and anyone are two negative words in the original language. In this construction, the second negative does not cancel the first to create a positive meaning. Instead, it gives greater emphasis to the negative. If your language can use two negatives that do not cancel one another to create a positive meaning, you could use a double negative here. If your language does not use two negatives in that way, you could translate with one negative, as the ULT does. Alternate translation: [it is a concern to you about no one]

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

οὐ μέλει σοι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of concern, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [nothing concerns you]

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τούς μαθητάς αὐτῶν μετά τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντας Διδάσκαλε οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθής εἶ καί τήν ὁδόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις καί οὒ μέλει σοί περί οὐδενός οὒ γάρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων)

To look at the face of men refers to making decisions about how to treat people based on how they appear. People who look at the face of men treat wealthy and important people differently than they treat poor and unimportant people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [for you do not judge men by appearances] or [for you do not treat people based on what they look like]

Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀνθρώπων

˱of˲_people

Although the term men is masculine, the Herodians and the disciples of the Pharisees are using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [of humans]