OET interlinear MAT 28:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπὸ & τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ, ἐσείσθησαν οἱ τηροῦντες καὶ ἐγενήθησαν

from & the fear ˱of˲_him /were/_shaken the_‹ones› guarding and /were/_become

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “the fear of him shook the ones guarding, and they became”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οἱ τηροῦντες

the_‹ones› guarding

Here, Matthew refers to the soldiers who were guarding Jesus’ tomb. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “the ones guarding the grave”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐσείσθησαν

/were/_shaken

Here Matthew means that the ones guarding the tomb physically trembled or shuddered because they were so afraid. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “were shuddering”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀπὸ & τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ

from & the fear ˱of˲_him

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of fear, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “because they feared him”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ἐγενήθησαν ὡς νεκροί

/were/_become as dead_‹men›

Here Matthew compares the guards to dead people to indicate that the guards fell down and did not move, just as dead people lie without moving. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “fell to the ground and lay still, like the dead” or “fainted so that they were like the dead”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

νεκροί

dead_‹men›

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