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OET (OET-LV) Or how you_will_be_saying to_the brother of_you:
Allow that I_may_throw_out the speck from the eye of_you, and see, the beam is in the eye of_you?
OET (OET-RV) How could you say to them, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when the lump is still in your eye?
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
Even though a new chapter begins at 7:1, Jesus continued “the Sermon on the Mount” which he began in chapter 5. In some languages, it may be natural to begin this chapter with something like:
Jesus continued,
Jesus continued to teach and said,
In other languages, no introduction is necessary here. You may want to begin this chapter as you began chapter 6.
In the Greek, 7:4a begins with word that is often translated as “or” (ESV). It functions to introduce more of Jesus’ teaching about the “speck” and the “log” in 7:3a–b.
Here is another way to translate this word:
And (NJB)
The BSB and some other English versions do not translate this word. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this word either.
How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye?: As in the previous verse, 7:4 is a rhetorical question. In addition, it continues the metaphor in 7:3. Furthermore, it has a quote within a quote. Consider these three issues before translating this verse:
Issue 1: Rhetorical question
This is a rhetorical question. Like 7:3, it functions as a rebuke and warns a disciple not to say to his brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a beam in his own eye.
Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke and warning:
As a rhetorical question. In Greek, this rhetorical question begins with a word translated as “how.” However, in some languages, a rebuke does not begin with “how.” So some languages may have to begin this rebuke differently. For example:
And how dare you say to your brother, “Let me take that splinter out of your eye,” when, look, there is a great log in your own? (NJB)
How can you possibly say to your brother…?
Why do you say to your brother…?
As a statement. For example:
There is no way you can possibly say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye.
As a command. For example:
4aDo not say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ 4bwhen there is a log in your own eye!
4bWhen there is a log in your own eye, 4ado not say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye.’
Issue 2: Quote within a quote
In some languages, it will be more natural to translate the part in single quotes as indirect speech. For example:
How can you tell your brother that you want to take the speck out of his eye, when there is the log in your own eye?
Issue 3: Metaphor
Verse 7:4 contains the same metaphor as 7:3. In this metaphor, a small sin/fault in your brother’s life is compared to a speck in his eye. A large sin/fault in your life is compared to a log that is in your eye.
Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:
Keep the metaphor. See the examples above. If you keep the metaphor, you may want to describe the meaning in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:
The “speck” represents a small sin/fault or a small number of sins. The “log” represents a large sin/fault or a large number of sins.
Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit how it is similar. (Note that even if you made the similarities in the metaphor explicit in 7:3, it may not be necessary to do the same thing here.) For example:
Or how can you say to your brother that you want to help him take the small sin out of his life. This is like taking a speck out of his eye. How can you say that when you have a large sin in your life which is like a log in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’
And how do you(sing) dare say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the piece of dust from your eye,’
Do not say to your friend/neighbor, ‘Let me remove the sawdust from your eye.’
Why do you tell your fellow-believer that you want to remove the dirt from his eye,
brother: The word brother has the same meaning here as in 7:3a. It refers to a fellow believer.
while there is still a beam in your own eye?
when you have a log/beam in your own eye?
Look at yourself! You have a log/beam in your own eye.
when there is a big, wood log in your own eye?
while there is still a beam in your own eye: The Greek text here can be translated literally as “and look, the plank/log (is) in your eye.” The word translated “look” is used to bring attention to the words that follow.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Look! A plank/log is in your eye!
Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. (NCV)
And a log is in your own eye!
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
ἢ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Here, the word Or introduces a second question that provides another improper way to behave. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a similar situation or command, or you could leave Or untranslated. Alternate translation: [Again,] or [Even further,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Jesus asks this question to challenge his disciples to pay attention to the log in their own eye before they pay attention to a speck of wood in another person’s eye. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [You should not say to your brother, ‘Let me take out the speck of wood from your eye,’ while behold, the log is in your eye.] or [Do not say to your brother, ‘Let me take out the speck of wood from your eye,’ while behold, the log is in your eye!]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου
˱to˲_the brother the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Jesus is using the term brother to mean a person who shares the same faith. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [to your fellow disciple]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου
˱to˲_the brother the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Although the term brother is masculine, Jesus is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If you retain the metaphor in your translation, and if it would be helpful in your language, you could say “brother or sister” to indicate this. Alternate translation: [to your brother or sister]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / youcrowd
σου, ἄφες & σου & σοῦ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Even though Jesus is speaking to many disciples, he is addressing an individual situation, so your is 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 form of your in your translation.
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor
ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Jesus continues to refer to small faults and mistakes as if they were a speck of wood in a person’s eye and to large faults and mistakes as if they were a log in a person’s eye. Express the idea as you did in [7:3](../07/03.md). Alternate translation: [‘Let me assist you in getting rid of your small fault, which is like a speck of wood in your eye,’ while behold, you have your own large fault, which is like a log in your eye] or [‘Let me assist you in avoiding the small mistakes you make,’ while behold, you have your own large mistakes]
Note 7 topic: translate-unknown
τὸ κάρφος
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Translate the phrase speck of wood as you did in [7:3](../07/03.md). Alternate translation: [the grain of sand] or [the tiny object]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἰδοὺ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
The word behold draws the attention of the audience and asks them to listen carefully. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express behold with a word or phrase that asks the audience to listen, or you could draw the audience’s attention in another way. Alternate translation: [see]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
ἡ δοκὸς
the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
A log could not literally go into a person’s eye. Jesus is using an extreme example to emphasize his point and make it memorable. If it would be helpful in your language, you could refer to the largest object that could fall into a person’s eye. Alternate translation: [the large piece of wood]
Note 10 topic: translate-unknown
ἡ δοκὸς
the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἤ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σοῦ Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τό κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ καί ἰδού ἡ δοκός ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ)
Translate the word log as you did in [7:3](../07/03.md). Alternate translation: [the beam] or [the plank] or [the large object]
OET (OET-LV) Or how you_will_be_saying to_the brother of_you:
Allow that I_may_throw_out the speck from the eye of_you, and see, the beam is in the eye of_you?
OET (OET-RV) How could you say to them, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when the lump is still in your eye?
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.