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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Mat C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28
Mat 5 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47
OET (OET-LV) For/Because truly I_am_saying to_you_all, until the heaven and the earth wishfully may_pass_away, one Iota or one serif by_no_means may_ not _pass_away from the law, until wishfully all things may_become.
OET (OET-RV) because I can assure you all that until heaven and earth reach their end, not one letter or mark will be taken away from those instructions until everything is fulfilled.
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
For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away,
I assure you(plur) that, as long as the sky and earth remain,
Listen(plur) to this: until the earth and sky end/finish,
For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the basis for Jesus’ statement in 5:17. It does not introduce the reason for something. Many English versions do not translate this conjunction.
I tell you truly: Jesus often used the words that the BSB translates as I tell you truly to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. When he began a statement with these words, he was asking people to listen with extra attention.
Here are some other ways to introduce this:
I assure you (NLT96)
Listen to this:
Let me tell you this:
If you have another way in your language to emphasize a statement or to alert people to listen with special attention, consider using it here.
until heaven and earth pass away: The phrase until heaven and earth pass away is another way of saying “until the end of the world.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
as long as heaven and earth last (GNT)
as long as earth and sky are still here
until the earth and heaven cease to exist
heaven: In this context, the word heaven refers to the sky (including the place where the sun, moon, and stars are). It does not refer to the place where God lives.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
the sky
the above
not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law: This clause indicates that no part of God’s law will ever be removed or become invalid, not even the smallest part.
This clause uses the parts of writing words to refer figuratively to the commands and teachings in the law. It may be more natural in your language to refer to the commands and teachings directly rather than use parts of writing figuratively. For example:
not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with (GNT)
even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain (NLT96)
not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen,
not even the smallest letter nor the smallest part of a letter
even the smallest point and the smallest detail of the law of God
a single jot: The Greek word that the BSB translates as jot is literally “iota.” An “iota” is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet. It can also refer to a very small stroke of a pen or it can represent a small letter, like the English letter “i.”
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
the smallest part of a word
the shortest word
the smallest point of writing
not a stroke of a pen: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as not a stroke of a pen is more literally “not one pen stroke.” This phrase refers to the smallest part of a letter. It would be like the dot above the letter “i” or the cross mark on the letter “t.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a dot (ESV)
even the smallest part of a letter
will disappear from the Law
will disappear from the law of God
will certainly/indeed remain valid
will disappear from: The Greek word that the BSB translates as disappear is the same word as in 5:18a. There the BSB translates this word as “pass away.”
Some languages may not use the same verb in both places. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
pass (ESV)
be removed
be changed
the Law: Here the words the Law refer generally to the whole Old Testament. Use a phrase that can refer to the whole Old Testament. For example:
God’s Law (NLT)
until everything is accomplished.
until all that must happen has happened. (REB)
until everything in it has happened.
until everything is accomplished: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as until everything is accomplished is more literally “until all (things) happen.” This indicates that the law is in effect until everything happens that is supposed to happen. Every prophecy must be fulfilled, and every commandment must be completed/accomplished. Then the end will come, and only at that time will the law no longer be valid.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
until everything has happened (NCV)
until all that must happen has happened (REB)
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
Here, the word For introduces a reason or basis for Jesus’ statement that he did not come to destroy the Scriptures but to fulfill them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a claim, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [In fact,] or [That is because,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ
until until (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
Here Jesus refers to how the heaven and the earth that currently exist will pass away, and God will either renew them or make new ones. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [until this world ends] or [until God recreates the heaven and the earth]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / merism
ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ
¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
Here, Jesus is referring to all of the created world by naming the parts that are at the extreme ends of it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [all creation] or [the universe]
Note 4 topic: translate-unknown
ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κερέα
Iota (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
A jot is a very small letter or character used in writing. A tittle is a small part of a letter or character. If your readers would not be familiar with these terms, you could use the names of the smallest parts of the writing system in your area or you could use more general terms. Alternate translation: [one word or one part of a word] or [one character or stroke in a character]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κερέα
Iota (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
The terms jot and tittle mean similar things. Jesus is using the two terms together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [one jot] or [one tittle]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives
οὐ μὴ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
The words translated as certainly not are two negative words. 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 strong negative, as the ULT does. Alternate translation: [by no means]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τοῦ νόμου
the law
Here, the phrase the law could refer to: (1) the Old Testament Scriptures in general, just as the phrases “the law” and “the prophets” in [5:17](../05/17.md) refer to the Old Testament Scriptures. Alternate translation: [the law and the prophets] or [the Old Testament] (2) just the law, which is the first five books of the Old Testament. Alternate translation: [the Old Testament law] or [the law in the Scriptures]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
πάντα γένηται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
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 action, you could use an indefinite subject. Alternate translation: [all things take place] or [they accomplish all things]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πάντα
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀμήν Γάρ λέγω ὑμῖν ἕως ἄν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ ἰῶτα ἕν ἤ μία κεραία οὒ μή παρέλθῃ ἀπό τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἄν παντᾶ γένηται)
Here, the phrase all things could refer to: (1) everything that is written in the law. Alternate translation: [all things written in the law] (2) everything that God has planned for this world and history. Alternate translation: [all things that God has planned] or [all things that will happen in this world]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because truly I_am_saying to_you_all, until the heaven and the earth wishfully may_pass_away, one Iota or one serif by_no_means may_ not _pass_away from the law, until wishfully all things may_become.
OET (OET-RV) because I can assure you all that until heaven and earth reach their end, not one letter or mark will be taken away from those instructions until everything is fulfilled.
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.