OET interlinear MAT 6:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd

σου & σου & σοὶ

˱of˲_you & ˱of˲_you & you_‹is›

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 2 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου & ᾖ

the eye ˱of˲_you & may_be

In this verse, the word eye is singular in form, but it refers to both of the person’s eyes as a group. See how you translated the similar phrase in 6:22. Alternate translation: “your eyes are”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πονηρὸς

evil

Here, the word evil could mean that the eye is: (1) damaged or functioning improperly. Alternate translation: “unhealthy” or “working poorly” (2) focused on what is evil or selfish. Alternate translation: “wicked” or “attentive only to yourself”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται

all the body ˱of˲_you dark will_be

Here Jesus speaks as if the whole body were dark. Since this statement continues to develop the idea of the lamp, you should preserve the figure of speech or use simile form. The clause could mean: (1) that the whole body is injured when the eye does not work properly. Alternate translation: “your whole body is injured, as if the eye were not shining on the whole body” (2) that an evil eye shows that the whole body is evil. Alternate translation: “that shows that your whole body is evil, as if it were dark”

Note 5 topic: translate-tense

ἔσται

will_be

Here Jesus uses the future tense to indicate that the body being dark is the logical result of the eye being evil. See how you translated the similar form in 6:22. Alternate translation: “is”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

σκοτεινὸν ἔσται

dark will_be

Here, the phrase dark could mean that the body: (1) experiences darkness. Alternate translation: “will be darkened” (2) does not shine at all. Alternate translation: “will not shine at all”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

σκότος, ἐστίν τὸ σκότος πόσον!

darkness is the darkness how_great

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of darkness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “is dark, how very dark it is”

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

οὖν

therefore

Here, the word Therefore introduces the conclusion to what Jesus has said about eyes and lamps. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a conclusion, or you could leave Therefore untranslated. Alternate translation: “In conclusion” or “So then”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

εἰ & τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος, ἐστίν τὸ σκότος πόσον

if & the light ¬which in you_‹is› darkness is the darkness how_great

Here Jesus concludes the figure of speech that uses lamps and light, so you should preserve the figure of speech or use simile form. The sentence could mean: (1) that when the eye does not work properly, even the most healthy parts of the body are still negatively affected. Alternate translation: “if the parts least affected by unhealthy eyes are injured, how great is the injury” (2) that when the best things about a person (his or her light) are evil (darkness), then the worst things about that person are very evil. Alternate translation: “if what is best about you is evil, as if it were darkness, how evil are the worst things about you”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος, ἐστίν τὸ σκότος πόσον

the the light ¬which in you_‹is› darkness is the darkness how_great

Here Jesus means that what some people think of as light is actually darkness. In that case, what these people consider to be darkness is very great darkness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “what you consider to be light is actually darkness, how dark is what you consider to be darkness” or “what you call light is darkness, how great the darkness itself”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

τὸ σκότος πόσον

the the ¬which the darkness how_great

This is an exclamation that is emphasizing that the darkness is very great. Use an exclamation that would communicate that meaning in your language. Alternate translation: “the darkness is very great”