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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 ESA 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 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47
OET (OET-LV) And if the the right eye of_you is_stumbling you, pluck_ it _out and throw it from you, because/for it_is_benefitting for_you that one of_the members of_you may_perish, and not all the body of_you may_be_thrown into geenna.
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
Jesus continued speaking here to his disciples. If your audience would not understand that Jesus was speaking here, you may want to indicate this. For example:
Then Jesus said,
Jesus continued speaking
In these verses, Jesus used two figurative examples to show that sinning is to be strongly avoided. They are also called examples of hyperbole or exaggeration. Jesus used these examples in order to emphasize a truth. A literal eye or hand cannot cause a person to sin. The only things that cause sin are wrong attitudes, desires, and thoughts that come from the heart. These examples show that it is very important to remove from one’s heart the nonphysical things which cause sin.
Throughout 5:29–30, in the Greek text, the pronouns for “you” or “your” are all singular.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
If your(sing) right eye causes you to sin,
If you(sing) are tempted to sin using/with your right eye,
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away: In this context, the right eye is a figure of speech. The right eye represents sins that a person commits with his eyes.
Here is another way to express this figure of speech:
If you are tempted to sin with/using your right eye, gouge it out
If people in your area will think that this verse is literally commanding someone to remove his eye, you may want to:
Indicate that this is a figurative example:
If for a figurative example your right eye causes you to sin
Include the non-figurative meaning and also make the figurative example into a simile:
Remove and throw away any cause of sin! Remove it as completely as if you were removing your right eye that causes you to sin.
Include a footnote to explain. Here is a sample footnote:
In this verse and the next verse Jesus talked about parts of the body that we use when we sin. He used the right eye and the right hand as symbols that stand for what we look at and what we do. When he said that we should remove our right eye or right hand, he meant that we should do everything possible to keep ourselves from sinning
gouge it out and throw it away.
take it out and throw it away.
it is as if you should pull it out and throw it away.
gouge it out and throw it away: The Greek word that the BSB translates as gouge…out means “take/pull out.” This verse part continues the exaggeration in 5:29a.
Here are some other ways to translate gouge it out:
take it out (GNT)
tear it out (ESV)
pluck it out (RSV)
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell: This sentence is a comparison. The two events here are both bad. But to lose one part of your body is not as bad as your whole body being thrown into hell. In that way the first clause is better than the second clause.
Here are some other ways to translate this comparison:
To lose one part of your body is not as bad as your whole body being thrown into hell
Losing one part of your body is good compared to your whole body being thrown into hell
Losing one part of your body is good. Having your whole body thrown into hell is bad.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body
To lose one part of your body is better
If you lose one part of your body while on earth, that is not as bad
The Greek of 5:29c begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “for.” it indicates that 5:29c is the basis for the command to tear out your eye in 5:29b. Many English versions like the BSB do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.
lose one part of your body: The clause lose one part of your body refers specifically to losing your right eye. It also refers to losing that eye while still living. It may be more natural in some languages to make some of this information explicit. For example:
It is better to lose one part of your body while living
Losing your right eye is better
than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
than your whole body being thrown into hell!
as for God to throw your whole body into the place of unending punishment!
your whole body to be thrown into hell: The verb be thrown is passive.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
Use a passive verb as the BSB.
Use an active verb. For example:
God will throw your whole body into hell.
hell: The word hell refers to the place of eternal punishment where unbelievers will go after the final judgment. The devil and his angels will also go there.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
place of eternal punishment
place of unending fire
the place where the dead are made to suffer
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here, the word But introduces a further development in what Jesus has been speaking about. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a development, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: [Now]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd
σου & σε, ἔξελε & βάλε & σοῦ & σοι & σου & σου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Even though Jesus is speaking to many disciples, he is addressing an individual situation, so you and your are singular throughout this verse. But if the singular form would not be natural in your language for someone who is speaking to a group of people, you could use the plural forms of you and your in your translation.
Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical
εἰ & ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ὁ δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε
if & the eye (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Jesus is suggesting that this is a hypothetical condition, that people in his audience might experience their right eye causing them to stumble. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a situation that could happen. Alternate translation: [consider this situation: your right eye causes you to stumble. If that were to happen]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification
ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ὁ δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε
the eye ¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here, Jesus speaks of your right eye as if it were a person who could cause you to stumble. He means that the right eye is the part of the body that is involved in the stumbling. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [it is your right eye’s fault that you stumble] or [you stumble with your right eye]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
σκανδαλίζει σε
˓is˒_stumbling (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here, Jesus is speaking of sinning as if it were stumbling. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [causes you to sin]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ
pluck_out (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here Jesus provides the most extreme response to sinning. He does not mean that this should be the normal way to deal with sin. You should preserve the extreme language Jesus uses, but use a form that indicates that this is the most extreme example. Alternate translation: [if necessary, you should even pluck it out and throw it away from you!]
Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
γάρ
for
Here, the word For introduces a reason why people should pluck out their eyes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason or basis for a command, or you could leave For untranslated. Alternate translation: [That is because] or [Indeed,]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here, the phrase one of your members refers to a body part. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [one of your body parts]
Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
(Occurrence 2) καὶ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
Here, the word and introduces the result of one of your members perishing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a result. Alternate translation: [so] or [with the result that]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σοῦ ὁ δεξιός σκανδαλίζει σέ ἔξελε αὐτόν καί βάλε ἀπό σοῦ συμφέρει γάρ σοί ἵνα ἀπόληται ἕν τῶν μελῶν σοῦ καί μή ὅλον τό σῶμα σοῦ βληθῇ εἰς Γέενναν)
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, it is clear from the context that it was God. Alternate translation: [God would not throw your whole body into Gehenna]
Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
Γέενναν
Gehenna
Here Jesus uses the name Gehenna to refer to hell. Translate the name as you did in [5:22](../05/22.md). Alternate translation: [a place like the valley of Gehenna] or [hell, which is like Gehenna valley]
OET (OET-LV) And if the the right eye of_you is_stumbling you, pluck_ it _out and throw it from you, because/for it_is_benefitting for_you that one of_the members of_you may_perish, and not all the body of_you may_be_thrown into geenna.
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.