OET interlinear MAT 27:52

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τὰ μνημεῖα ἀνεῴχθησαν, καὶ πολλὰ σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθη

the tombs /were/_opened_up and many bodies ˱of˲_the /having_been/_fallen_asleep holy_‹ones› /was/_raised

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 did the actions, it is clear from the context that it was God. Alternate translation: “God opened the tombs, and he raised many bodies of the saints having fallen asleep”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

τὰ μνημεῖα

the tombs

The phrase the tombs represents nearby tombs in general, not one particular set of tombs. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the nearby tombs” or “many tombs”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πολλὰ σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθη

many bodies ˱of˲_the /having_been/_fallen_asleep holy_‹ones› /was/_raised

Here Matthew does not just mean that bodies were raised but rather that people as a whole were raised. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “many of the saints having fallen asleep were raised”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἁγίων

holy_‹ones›

Here, the word saints could refer to: (1) anyone who was part of God’s people. Alternate translation: “God’s people” (2) people who were particularly holy or righteous. Alternate translation: “holy people” or “righteous people”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

κεκοιμημένων

/having_been/_fallen_asleep

Here, the phrase fallen asleep refers politely to people dying. If it would be helpful in your language, you could a form that politely refers to a person dying, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “having passed away” or “having perished”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἠγέρθη

/was/_raised

Here, the word raised refers to people who died coming back to life. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable word or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “were restored to life”