OET interlinear MAT 5:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

for

Here, the word For introduces a further explanation of what Jesus said in the previous verse about how important it is to obey even the least important laws. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a further explanation, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: “In fact,” or “Even more,”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν Βασιλείαν τῶν Οὐρανῶν

if not /may/_abound ˱of˲_you_all ¬the righteousness more ˱of˲_the scribes and Pharisees by_no_means not ˱you_all˲_/may/_come_in into the Kingdom ˱of˲_the Heavens

If, in your language, it would appear that Jesus was contradicting a statement that he was about to make, you could reword this to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: “you will only enter into the kingdom of the heavens if your righteousness abounds more than that of the scribes and Pharisees”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων

/may/_abound ˱of˲_you_all ¬the righteousness more ˱of˲_the scribes

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of righteousness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “you are more righteous than the scribes”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

οὐ μὴ

by_no_means not

The words translated 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”