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OET (OET-LV) You_all are the light of_the world.
A_city lying on a_mountain is_ not _able to_be_hidden.
For many years, English versions and Christians have commonly referred to Matthew 5–7 as “The Sermon on the Mount.” In some translations, it may be helpful to include a heading for chapters 5–7 that is on a level above the section heading for 5:1–12.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
The Sermon on the Mountain
The sermon that Jesus preached on a mountain
Jesus taught people on the side of a mountain/hill
You are the light of the world.
¶ “You(plur) are the light for the people of the world.
¶ “You(plur) are like light for the whole human race.
¶ “You(plur) show the people of the world the way to God as a light shows them their path.
You are the light of the world: The phrase the light of the world is a metaphor. In this metaphor, Jesus compares his disciples to light. One way that light and the disciples are similar is that both help people in darkness. Light shines for people in darkness and shows them the path. In the same way, believers speak and live God’s truth to people in spiritual darkness and show them the path to God.
Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:
Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
You are like light for the world
Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
You show the people of the world the way to God as a light shows them their path
Explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:
Jesus compared his disciples to light. A light shines for those in darkness and shows them their path. In the same way, Jesus’ disciples should show the path to God to people in spiritual darkness.
You: As in 5:13a, the pronoun You is plural in Greek.
the world: The term the world refers to “the people of the world.” It means the same thing as “the earth” in 5:13a.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
everyone in the world
the people in/of the world
A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
A town located on a mountain cannot be hidden.
People/They cannot hide a town that is on top of a hill.
A city on a hill cannot be hidden: This clause is like a saying or proverb. A city located on a hill is in plain view. No one can hide it or keep people from seeing it.
city: In this context, the word city refers generally to cities, towns, or villages. For example:
town (JBP)
on a hill: The Greek word that the BSB here translates as hill is the same word translated as “mountain” in 5:1. Since people do not usually build cities on tall mountains, the BSB translates the Greek word as hill.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
located on a hill (NET)
built on a hill (GNT)
built on top of a hill (CEV)
cannot be hidden: The verb be hidden is passive.
Here are some other ways to translate this verb:
Use a passive verb. For example:
cannot be hidden (NET)
Use an active verb. For example:
they/people cannot hide it
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὑμεῖς ἐστέ τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου οὒ δύναται Πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη)
Here Jesus calls his disciples light that illuminates the world. Just as light helps people know where they are and where to go, so Jesus’ disciples tell people the truth about God and Jesus. If possible, preserve the metaphor or use simile form. Alternate translation: [When you tell others about me, you are like lights that shine on the world]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὑμεῖς ἐστέ τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου οὒ δύναται Πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη)
Here, Jesus is using the possessive form to describe light that illuminates the world. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the light that shines on the world]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τοῦ κόσμου
˱of˲_the world
Here, the word world refers primarily to the people who live in the world. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer specifically to people here. Alternate translation: [of the people in the world] or [of all people]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὑμεῖς ἐστέ τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου οὒ δύναται Πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη)
Here Jesus implicitly calls his disciples a city that is on a mountain, so it is not able to be hidden. Just as everyone can see this city, so everyone can see how Jesus’ disciples behave. If possible, preserve the metaphor or use simile form. Alternate translation: [When you do what is right, you are like a city being set on a mountain that is not able to be hidden]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὑμεῖς ἐστέ τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου οὒ δύναται Πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη)
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. Alternate translation: [People cannot hide a city that they set on top of a mountain]
5:14 light of the world . . . city on a hilltop: The attractive quality of the disciples’ lives will draw other people to live similarly and to glorify God (see Isa 2:2-5; 42:6; 49:6; 51:4; 56:6-8; 60:1-3; Phil 2:15).
OET (OET-LV) You_all are the light of_the world.
A_city lying on a_mountain is_ not _able to_be_hidden.
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.