OET interlinear MAT 8:22

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-tense

λέγει

/is/_saying

To call attention to a development in the story, Matthew uses the present tense in past narration. If it would not be natural to do that in your language, you could use the past tense in your translation. Alternate translation: [said]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς

leave the dead /to/_bury ¬the ˱by˲_themselves dead

Here, the phrase the dead could refer to: (1) people who have already died. In this case, Jesus is stating that dead people will take care of other dead people. What he means is that living people should not be concerned about those who have died. Alternate translation: [let the dead take care of themselves] or [do not concern yourself with the dead] (2) people who are spiritually dead. In this case, Jesus is saying that only people who are spiritually dead should care more about burying their dead than following him. Alternate translation: [let the spiritually dead bury their own dead]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

τοὺς νεκροὺς & τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς

the dead & ¬the ˱by˲_themselves dead

Jesus is using the adjective dead as a noun to mean dead people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the dead humans … their own dead humans]