OET interlinear MARK 8:38

8:38

This verse shows a contrast between the sinful and unfaithful people who were alive then and the holy angels who will be with the Son of Man when he comes. Express this contrast in a natural way in your language.

8:38a–b

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation: There are different ways to understand how the phrase in this adulterous and sinful generation connects with its context:

1. This phrase is connected to the verb is ashamed. It describes the situation or time in which any follower of Christ might be ashamed. He is ashamed in an adulterous and sinful generation in front of people of that generation. For example, the CEV has:

   Don’t be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people! (NIV, GNT, RSV, NET, NLT, REB)

2. This phrase is connected to the word anyone. It describes who is ashamed. For example, the NJB has:

   if anyone in this sinful and adulterous generation is ashamed of me and of my words (NJB, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). For ways to reorder these verse parts, see the General Comment on 8:38a–b at the end of the note on 8:38b.

8:38a

In Greek, 8:38 begins with a conjunction that the RSV translates as “For.” This conjunction introduces the fact that a person who chooses to avoid shame in the present life will be shamed at the final judgment. The BSB and some other English versions do not translate this conjunction. Connect this verse to the context in a natural way in your language.

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words: This clause describes a person who refuses to become Jesus’ disciple and follow his teachings because he feels ashamed in front of other people. He is unwilling to acknowledge that he follows Jesus because he is afraid that others will mock him.

In your translation, avoid suggesting that Jesus might have done something wrong that would cause someone to be ashamed.

Here are some other ways to translate If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words:

If anyone is ashamed to become my disciple and to believe/obey my words

If anyone is not willing to acknowledge me as his master and to obey what I teach because people would humiliate him

My words: The phrase My words refers to what Jesus has said, that is, to his teachings.

8:38b

this adulterous and sinful generation: Jesus used the word adulterous here in a figurative way. He described the people who were alive at that time as adulterous because they had abandoned their covenant relationship with God. They were unfaithful to God, as a woman who commits adultery is unfaithful to her husband.

In some languages this figure of speech may be misunderstood to refer literally to sexual sin. If that is true in your language, here are other options for translation:

• Use a simile. For example:

  you people living today who are unfaithful to God like an adulterous/unfaithful wife

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example, the CEV says:

  these unfaithful and sinful people

this…generation: In this context, the phrase this…generation refers to all the adults who lived at the same time as Jesus. So he was not referring to only the people listening to him.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the people of this day

the people who live now

See how you translated generation in 8:12b.

8:38c

the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him: This part of the verse indicates that Jesus, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of any person who was ashamed to be known as his follower. In this context, for Jesus to be ashamed of someone does not mean that Jesus will feel embarrassed. It means that Jesus will deny that such a person belongs to him. He will be unwilling to say that such a person was his disciple. See how you translated ashamed in 8:38a.

the Son of Man: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the Son of Man is literally “the Son of the human/person.” It is a title that Jesus often used to refer to himself. It implies that:

1. he was a true human being, and he represented all people.

2. he came from God and had authority from God.

Here are some other ways to translate this title:

the Man whom God Sent

the True Man from God/Heaven

the Representative of Mankind

The Older Brother of All People

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate explicitly that Jesus was referring to himself here. For example:

I, the Son of Man

See the note on 8:31b for more information.

8:38d

when He comes in His Father’s glory: The phrase when He comes in His Father’s glory refers to the time when Jesus will return to earth. He will come with the same glory that God his Father has.

in His Father’s glory: The phrase in His Father’s glory means here that Jesus will have or show the glory of his Father. When people see him, they will recognize the same power, greatness and brightness that his Father has.

Father: God is called the Father of Jesus because Jesus has the same nature as God. This way to refer to God also indicates that the relationship between God and Jesus is similar in some way to the relationship of human fathers and sons. God does not have a physical body, and he did not create/produce Jesus in the way a human father produces a son.

glory: In the Old Testament, God’s glory often refers to the impressive bright light that people saw when God was present with them. This brightness symbolized how powerful and majestic God was. When it is applied to Jesus in the New Testament, the word glory sometimes refers in general to his divine character or attributes. Sometimes, as here, the word glory refers specifically to his power and greatness or to his dazzling brightness.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase in his Father’s glory:

with the majesty/greatness of his Father

showing the brightness and power of my Father

See also the word glory in the Glossary for more information.

when He comes…with the holy angels: This phrase indicates that Jesus will come back to earth accompanied by angels who are sent with him by God.

holy angels: The Greek word that the BSB translates as angels means “messengers.” The phrase holy angels refers to spirit beings who serve God. Sometimes he sends them as messengers or has them serve him in other ways. In this context God will send them to accompany Jesus.

The angels are holy because they are dedicated to God. They are also holy because they are pure. In some languages the term for angels already includes one of these ideas.

Here are some other ways to translate holy angels:

• Use a descriptive word or phrase. For example:

  messengers from God/heaven

  good/holy spirit-beings

• Use a local term that fits the biblical meaning.

• In some areas the churches may already be using a borrowed term or a transliterated word for “angel.” If you use this term, you may need to indicate the meaning and add the idea of holy. For example:

  an angelos messenger from God

  a sacred angelos spirit

Be sure that your term for “angel” is different from your terms for “prophet” and “apostle.” See angel, Meaning 1, in the Glossary for a chart that shows the differences in these three terms.