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OET (OET-LV) And whenever you_all_may_be_fasting, be_ not _becoming downthrow like the hypocrites, because/for they_are_disfiguring the appearances of_them, so_that they_may_be_seen by_the people fasting.
Truly, I_am_saying to_you_all, they_are_receiving_fully the reward of_them.
OET (OET-RV) “Whenever you people are abstaining from food, don’t look miserable like the hypocrites, because they intentionally try to look awful so that everyone will notice that they’re fasting. I can assure you that they’ve already received their reward in full.
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
This paragraph contains the third example of how to apply the command (in 6:1) not to do good works before people. This third example is about fasting.
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites,
¶ “Whenever you(plur) fast, do not look sad like the hypocrites do.
¶ Jesus continued, “Each time you stop eating food for a time to honor God, do not make your face sad/unhappy like the pretenders.
When: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as When also means “whenever” or “each time.” It assumes that believers will fast.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
whenever (NRSV)
Every/each time
At any time
See how you translated When in 6:2 where it has the same meaning.
fast: The word fast means “choose not to eat food temporarily for a religious/spiritual reason.” Generally, when someone fasts, he does not eat any food, but he can drink water. People usually fast for a day, but the fast can be a shorter or longer period of time. People fast to humble themselves, to show sadness for their sins, or to seek God’s will or help.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
stop eating for a time for religious reasons
not eat for a day/time to seek God’s help
abstain from eating in order to pray
do not be somber: The Greek word that the BSB translates as somber means “sad.” Jesus was referring to looking sad in order that people will realize that you are fasting and will think that you are religious. The full clause warns against making one’s face look sad or unhappy.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
do not put on a sad face (GNT)
do not look sad
do not let it be known by your appearance/face
the hypocrites: The word hypocrites refers to people who pretend to be something that they are not.
This word also occurs in 6:2c. Translate it here as you did there.
for they disfigure their faces
They make their faces look sad
They act like they are suffering
for: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as for introduces a more detailed explanation of what was said in 6:16a. Do not translate this verse as if it were the reason for 6:16a. It further explains 6:16a, but it is not a reason. Some English versions begin a new sentence here and do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, a conjunction will not be necessary here either.
they disfigure their faces: In this context, the Greek word that the BSB translates as disfigure refers to not washing their faces and not keeping their hair and beards looking neat. They did this to look like people who were very sorrowful.
Here are some other ways to translate this expression:
They neglect their appearance (GNT)
They make their faces look sad (NCV)
they act like they are suffering
they do not wash their faces nor comb their hair
to show men they are fasting.
so that people may see that they are fasting.
to show people that they have stopped eating food for a time to honor God.
to show men they are fasting: In Greek, this clause is literally “so that fasting may be seen by men.” This clause gives the purpose for their “disfigured faces” (in 6:16b). They made their faces look sad in order to make it obvious to others that they were fasting.
Although the BSB uses an active phrase here (to show men), the Greek verb is passive (“may be seen”).
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
As a passive. For example:
so that they may be seen by others that they are fasting
As an active, as the BSB does. For example:
so that people may see that they are fasting (JBP)
so that everyone will see that they are fasting (GNT)
to make it obvious that they’re fasting (GW)
men: The Greek word that the BSB translates as men refers to people in general here, both men and women.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
other people
people
Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
I assure you(plur), they have received all the reward that they will ever get.
Let me tell you(plur) that their only reward is the praise from people, because God will not reward/honor them more than that.
Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward: This clause is identical to the clause in 6:2. You should translate it here as you did there.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
δὲ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ νηστεύητε μή γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί σκυθρωποί ἀφανίζουσιν γάρ τά πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες Ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τόν μισθόν αὐτῶν)
Here, the word Now introduces the next topic. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the next topic, or you could leave Now untranslated. Alternate translation: [Next,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis
ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταὶ
like the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ νηστεύητε μή γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί σκυθρωποί ἀφανίζουσιν γάρ τά πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες Ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τόν μισθόν αὐτῶν)
Jesus is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: [as the hypocrites are mournful]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀφανίζουσιν & τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν
˱they˲_˓are˒_disfiguring & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ νηστεύητε μή γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί σκυθρωποί ἀφανίζουσιν γάρ τά πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες Ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τόν μισθόν αὐτῶν)
This phrase could refer to how the hypocrites would: (1) make their faces look unusual. This could refer to intentionally looking sad or tired, or it could refer to making their faces dirty. Alternate translation: [they make their faces look distressed] or [they make their faces dirty] (2) wear something to cover their faces. Alternate translation: [they cover their faces]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες
˱they˲_˓may_be˒_seen ˱by˲_the people fasting
Here Jesus implies not only that these people want to be seen but also that they want to be honored or praised. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [they may be seen and honored as fasting] or [they may be seen and praised as fasting]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες
˱they˲_˓may_be˒_seen ˱by˲_the people fasting
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [men may see them as fasting]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
τοῖς ἀνθρώποις
˱by˲_the people
Although the term men is masculine, Jesus is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [by men and women] or [by people]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν
˱they˲_˓are˒_receiving_fully (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅταν Δέ νηστεύητε μή γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί σκυθρωποί ἀφανίζουσιν γάρ τά πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες Ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τόν μισθόν αὐτῶν)
Here Jesus means that they have received their entire reward from men, and God will not reward them any further. See how you translated this clause in [6:2](../06/02.md). Alternate translation: [they have already received all the reward they will get] or [God will not give them any reward beyond that]
OET (OET-LV) And whenever you_all_may_be_fasting, be_ not _becoming downthrow like the hypocrites, because/for they_are_disfiguring the appearances of_them, so_that they_may_be_seen by_the people fasting.
Truly, I_am_saying to_you_all, they_are_receiving_fully the reward of_them.
OET (OET-RV) “Whenever you people are abstaining from food, don’t look miserable like the hypocrites, because they intentionally try to look awful so that everyone will notice that they’re fasting. I can assure you that they’ve already received their reward in full.
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.