OET interlinear MARK 2:19

2:19–20

In these verses Jesus used an illustration or extended metaphor to answer the people’s question. He compared himself to a bridegroom and his disciples to a bridegroom’s friends.

The people listening to Jesus would have understood that he was comparing himself to a bridegroom and his disciples to the friends of the bridegroom. If your readers would not understand this, it may be necessary to make this explicit. See the General Comment on 2:19b–c for ways to express this.

2:19a

This sentence begins with the Greek connector that is often translated as “and.” It introduces Jesus’ response to the question that the people had just asked. Connect 2:18d and 2:19a in a natural way in your language.

Jesus replied: The Greek word that the BSB translates as replied is a general verb of speech like “said” in English. Jesus answered the people’s question with an illustration. He introduced this illustration with a rhetorical question. Consider how to introduce his response in a natural way in your language. Here are some examples:

Jesus answered them with an illustration

In reply, Jesus asked them

Then Jesus used a comparison to answer them, saying…

2:19b–c

In this verse Jesus answered the people with a rhetorical question. Then he himself answered the question in a negative way. In some languages there may be a special way to express a rhetorical question and answer like that. The NLT96 has:

Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while they are with the groom.

Use a natural way in your language to express the meaning. The Notes on 2:19b and 2:19c will give more suggestions.

2:19b

How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?: This is a rhetorical question that expects a negative answer. This question emphasizes that the guests of the bridegroom cannot fast while he is with them. Fasting would imply that the guests were sad or serious. It would not be appropriate for them to be sad while they were at the wedding feast with the bridegroom.Every Jew knew that a Jewish bridegroom would celebrate his wedding with a feast that lasted for a week. No one would expect his guests to fast during that time.

There are at least three ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a question. For example, the RSV says:

  Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

• As a statement. For example, the CEV says:

  The friends of a bridegroom don’t go without eating while he is still with them.

• As a statement with a tag question. For example, the NET says:

  The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they?

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize something that people know is true.

the guests of the bridegroom: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the guests of the bridegroom is literally “the sons of the wedding hall.” It refers to people who come to rejoice with the bridegroom at his wedding. There are at least two ways to translate this term:

• Use an expression that refers specifically to the bridegroom’s friends who come to his wedding. These friends may have a special role in the wedding. For example, the CEV has:

  the friends of a bridegroom

• Use a general expression that refers to people who come to a wedding. For example, the RSV has:

  the wedding guests

In some cultures marriage customs may be so different from those of the Jews that the term guests of the bridegroom may be difficult to translate. For example, there may be no celebration at the time of a couple’s marriage, or the bridegroom may not be involved in the celebration. If that is true in your culture, you may need to use a very general phrase. For example:

friends who are celebrating with the man-who-has-gotten-a-wife

fast: The verb fast here is another form of the verb that the BSB translated as “fasting” in 2:18a. You should use the appropriate form of the same expression here. Fasting often indicates that people are sorrowful or mourning. In contrast to the sorrow of fasting, the wedding guests rejoice and celebrate with a feast.

He: The Greek word that the BSB translates as He is literally “bridegroom.” It refers to a man who is marrying a wife. Jesus used the “bridegroom” in the metaphor to represent himself. Use a natural term in your language.The figure of the bridegroom is used often in the Bible, so it is best to keep this figure if possible. Many times God spoke of himself as the bridegroom of Israel (see Isaiah 62:5) and referred to Israel as his bride (see Jeremiah 2:2). The church is also referred to as the bride of the Messiah or Jesus (see Revelation 21:9–10).

2:19c

In this part of the verse Jesus answered his own question in 2:19b in a negative way. See the note on 2:19a–c for translation suggestions.

As long as He is with them: The phrase As long as as He is with them refers to the time of the wedding when the bridegroom is celebrating with his friends. In the metaphor this time represents the time that Jesus would be with the disciples here on earth.

He: The pronoun He refers to the bridegroom. In the metaphor this represents Jesus. In some languages it may therefore be necessary to use the first-person pronoun (I/me).

them: The pronoun them refers to the guests of the bridegroom. In the metaphor they represent Jesus’ disciples.

they cannot: The friends of the bridegroom could not fast because it would be inappropriate. They were celebrating their friend’s marriage, and it was a happy occasion. They would not want to fast. It was not, however, impossible, and so it may be necessary to translate this as:

they will/would not