MAT 18:12 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “What do you think about this: a man had a hundred sheep and one of them strayed away. Won’t he leave the ninety-nine there in the hills and go and look for the sheep that was missing?

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT What do you think? If a certain man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, having left the 99 on the mountains and having gone, does he not seek the one having gone astray?

UST Think about this situation: A man owns 100 sheep, but one of them wanders away. The man will most certainly leave the 99 other sheep on the side of a hill by themselves and search for the one sheep that wandered away!

BSB What {do} you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the [one] that is lost?

MSB What {do} you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not[fn] leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the [one] that is lost?

BLB What do you think? If to any man there should be a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, will he not leave the ninety nine on the mountains and, having gone, seek the one going astray?

AICNT “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

OEB ‘What think you? If a person owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will the person not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?

WEBBE “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET What do you think? If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray?

LSV What do you think? If a man may have one hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, does he not—having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains—seek that which is gone astray?

FBV What do you think about this? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that's lost?

TCNT What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, [fn]does he not leave the other ninety-nine [fn]and go seek on the mountains the one that has gone astray?

18:12 does ¦ will CT

18:12 and go seek on the mountains ¦ on the mountains and go seek CT

T4T What do you (pl) think you would do in the following situation? If you had 100 sheep and one of them got lost, you would surely leave the 99 sheep that are on the hill and go and search for the lost one [RHQ], would you not?

LEB What do you think? If _⌊a certain man has_⌋[fn] a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and[fn] look for the one that wandered away?

18:12 Literally “there are to a certain man”

18:12 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb

BBE What would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains in search of the wandering one?

Moff Tell me, if a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine sheep on the hills and go in search of the one that has strayed?

Wymth What do you yourselves think? Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying?

ASV How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?

DRA What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?

YLT 'What think ye? if a man may have an hundred sheep, and there may go astray one of them, doth he not — having left the ninety-nine, having gone on the mountains — seek that which is gone astray?

Drby What think ye? If a certain man should have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not, leaving the ninety and nine on the mountains, go and seek the one that has gone astray?

RV How think ye? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth astray?
(How think ye/you_all? if any man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth/does he not leave the ninety and nine, and go unto the mountains, and seek that which goeth/goes astray? )

SLT What does it seem to you? if there be to any man a hundred sheep, and one of them have been led astray, does he not, having left the ninety-nine upon the mountains, having gone, seek the one led astray?

Wbstr How think ye? if a man hath a hundred sheep, and one of them is gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray?

KJB-1769 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
( How think ye/you_all? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth/does he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth/goes into the mountains, and seeketh/seeks that which is gone astray? )

KJB-1611 How thinke yee? if a man haue an hundred sheepe, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leaue the ninetie and nine, and goeth into the mountaines, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Howe thynke ye? If a man haue an hundred sheepe, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leaue ninetie & nine, and goeth into the mountaynes, and seketh that which went astray?
(How think ye/you_all? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth/does he not leave ninety and nine, and goeth/goes into the mountains, and seeketh/seeks that which went astray?)

Gnva How thinke ye? If a man haue an hundreth sheepe, and one of them be gone astray, doeth he not leaue ninetie and nine, and go into the mountaines, and seeke that which is gone astray?
(How think ye/you_all? If a man have an hundredth sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth/does he not leave ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray? )

Cvdl How thinke ye? Yf a man haue an hundreth shepe, and one of the be gone astraye, doth not he leaue the nyentie and nyene in the mountaynes, and goeth, and seketh that one which is gone astraye?
(How think ye/you_all? If a man have an hundredth sheep, and one of the be gone astray, doth/does not he leave the nyentie and nyene in the mountains, and goeth/goes, and seeketh/seeks that one which is gone astray?)

TNT How thinke ye? Yf a man have an hondred shepe and one of them be gone astray dothe he not leve nynty and nyne in the moutains and go and seke that one which is gone astray?
(How think ye/you_all? If a man have an hondred sheep and one of them be gone astray doth/doese he not leave nynty and nine in the moutains and go and seek that one which is gone astray? )

Wycl What semeth to you? If ther weren to sum man an hundrid scheep, and oon of hem hath errid, whethir he schal not leeue nynti and nyne in desert, and schal go to seche that that erride?
(What seemeth/seems to you? If there were to some man an hundred sheep, and one of hem hath/has errid, whether he shall not leave ninety and nine in desert, and shall go to seche that that erride?)

Luth Was dünket euch? Wenn irgendein Mensch hundert Schafe hätte, und eins unter denselbigen sich verirrete, läßt er nicht die neunundneunzig auf den Bergen, gehet hin und suchet das verirrte?
(What seems you? When any person hundred sheep would_have, and one under the_same itself/yourself/themselves loste, lets he not the nineundneunzig on/in/to the mountain(s)/hill(s), goes there/therefore and seeks the verirrte?)

ClVg Quid vobis videtur? si fuerint alicui centum oves, et erravit una ex eis: nonne relinquit nonaginta novem in montibus, et vadit quærere eam quæ erravit?[fn]
(What to_you(pl) it_seems? when/but_if they_have_been alicui hundred sheep, and erravit together from to_them: isn't_it leaves ninety nine in/into/on the_mountains, and goes to_seek/search_for her which erravit? )

18.12 Si fuerint alicui centum, etc. Dominus centum oves habuit, etc., usque ad quibus ad perfectionem unitas deest. Nonne relinquet, etc. GREG. Quia seipsum exinanivit formam servi accipiens, etc., usque ad cum tantum sit si quod male gessit damnat injustus.

18.12 When/But_if they_have_been alicui hundred, etc. Master hundred sheep had, etc., until to to_whom to perfection unitas is_missing. Isn't_it will_leave, etc. GREG. Because himself exinanivit form slaves accepting, etc., until to when/with only be when/but_if that male carried_out damnat injust.

UGNT τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ? ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ ἀφείς τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, καὶ πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον?
(ti humin dokei? ean genaʸtai tini anthrōpōi hekaton probata, kai planaʸthaʸ hen ex autōn, ouⱪi afeis ta enenaʸkonta ennea epi ta oraʸ, kai poreutheis zaʸtei to planōmenon?)

SBL-GNT τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ ⸀ἀφήσει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη ⸀καὶ πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον;
(ti humin dokei; ean genaʸtai tini anthrōpōi hekaton probata kai planaʸthaʸ hen ex autōn, ouⱪi ⸀afaʸsei ta enenaʸkonta ennea epi ta oraʸ ⸀kai poreutheis zaʸtei to planōmenon;)

RP-GNT Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; Ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν· οὐχὶ ἀφεὶς τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον;
(Ti humin dokei; Ean genaʸtai tini anthrōpōi hekaton probata, kai planaʸthaʸ hen ex autōn; ouⱪi afeis ta enenaʸkonta ennea, epi ta oraʸ poreutheis zaʸtei to planōmenon;)

TC-GNT Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; Ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν· οὐχὶ [fn]ἀφεὶς τὰ [fn]ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη [fn]πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον;
(Ti humin dokei; Ean genaʸtai tini anthrōpōi hekaton probata, kai planaʸthaʸ hen ex autōn; ouⱪi afeis ta enenaʸkonta ennea, epi ta oraʸ poreutheis zaʸtei to planōmenon; )

18:12 αφεις ¦ αφησει CT

18:12 ενενηκοντα ¦ εννενηκοντα TR

18:12 πορευθεις ¦ και πορευθεις CT

Key for above GNTs: orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 18:10–14: Jesus told a parable about a lost sheep

In this section, Jesus told a type of parable. In this parable, a shepherd rejoices more over finding one sheep that wandered away than over a large flock of sheep that did not wander. This parable shows that every believer is important to God. This section also shows that one believer should not look down on another one.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus used a lost sheep as an illustration

The parable about a lost sheep

There is a parallel passage for this section in Luke 15:3–7.

18:12a–d

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?: Verse 18:12 contains two rhetorical questions. The first one is short, and the second one is long. The short one emphasizes that the second one is certainly true: A man will certainly leave all his sheep to search for one lost one.

Before you begin to translate this verse, carefully consider the best way in your language to translate these two rhetorical questions. There are many possibilities. Here are some possible ways:

Divide the second (long) rhetorical question into shorter sentences. For example:
What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed? (GW)
Put the first rhetorical question in the middle of the second one. For example:
If a shepherd has one hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one? (NLT96)
Put the first rhetorical question at the end of the verse. For example:
If a man has one hundred sheep, and one strays and gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine others and go into the hills to search for the lost one? What do you think he will do?
Combine the two rhetorical questions. For example:
What do you think a man does who has one hundred sheep and one of them gets lost? He will leave the other ninety-nine grazing on the hillside and go and look for the lost sheep. (GNT)

18:12a–b

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,

¶ What do you think about this? If a certain man owned a hundred sheep and if one of them strayed,
¶ Suppose a shepherd has one hundred sheep, and one wanders away and gets lost. What do you think he will do?
¶ There was a certain man who had one hundred sheep. If one of them got lost, what do you think he would do?

18:12a

What do you think?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to encourage the disciples to seriously think about what he was going to say. He also used this rhetorical question to emphasize that the next rhetorical question is certainly true.

Here are some other ways to translate this rhetorical question:

What do you think a man will do…

What do you think/say about this?

See also the examples above in the note on 18:12a–d for other ways to translate this rhetorical question.

Jesus used this same question in 17:25c.

you: Here, the pronoun you is plural, so he is speaking to the main group of disciples.

18:12b

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray: This is the first part of the long rhetorical question. (The actual question is in 18:12c–d.)

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

If a man has a hundred sheep, and if one of them has gone astray…

Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. (GW)

There was a certain man who had one hundred sheep. If one of them strays…

a man: This phrase refers to any shepherd. Jesus did not have a particular person in mind. Instead he just told a little story to make his point.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a certain man

someone

a shepherd (NLT96)

has a hundred sheep: The Greek word that the BSB translates as has means “owns” or “possesses.” It indicates that these sheep belong to the man. He is not just a watchman.

hundred: This is a large number, but the actual amount is probably not significant. Some languages do not regularly use numbers this big. If that is the case in your language, you may translate this as:

a lot of sheep

It is also possible to borrow the word for this number from a major language in your area. Or you can use the numeral “100.”

one of them goes astray: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as goes astray means “wanders.” Sheep are animals that wander away from the flock easily.

This verb also implies that the sheep was lost. It could not find its way back to the rest of the sheep.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

one of them strays (GW)

one wanders away from the rest (JBP)

one wanders away and is lost (NLT96)

one of the sheep gets lost (NCV)

18:12c

will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills

will he not leave the ninety-nine others on the hill
Will he leave the ninety-nine other sheep on the hillside
He will leave the other sheep on the hills, will he not? Yes!

will he not leave: This part of the rhetorical question has a negative form (will he not leave), but it expects the answer, “Yes, of course.”

Here are some other ways to translate it:

As a question that expects a “yes” answer. For example:
Will he not leave…?
As a tag question. For example:
He will leave the ninety-nine, will he not?
He will leave the ninety-nine, true?
As a statement of certainty. For example:
He will of course leave
Surely he will leave

leave: This verb means that the shepherd will temporarily abandon the other sheep. He will permit them to stay on their own while he goes in search of the lost one.

the ninety-nine: This is still a large number, but it is one less than the original number. If your language does not regularly use numbers this big, you might translate it as:

the rest of them

The idea that these are the rest of the “sheep” except for the one that wandered away is implicit in the number. If you need to, you may make that explicit. For example:

the ninety-nine others

the 99 other sheep

on the hills: The Greek word that the BSB translates as hills is singular. For example:

on the hillside (REB)

In this little story, the sheep are out away from any village and in the mountains/hills. It was normal practice for a shepherd to take a flock of sheep to places like that to find grass for them to eat. Sometimes he would be gone with them for days, weeks, or even months at a time.

This phrase indicates “in a mountain area,” but not necessarily at the top. Translate it in a way that is appropriate to your storytelling style.

18:12d

and go out to search for the one that is lost?

and go and look for the one that strayed? Of course!
and go to search for the one that strayed? Yes he will.
He will go to look for the sheep that is lost.

go out to search for: In Greek, the two verbs that the BSB translates as go out to search for could also be translated as “go and seek.” That is, the shepherd would go to other places in the mountains where the lost sheep might be.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

go and look for (GNT)

go out to search (NLT)

the one that is lost?: The phrase the one refers to the sheep that went astray.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the lost sheep (NCV`)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ Ἐάν γένηται τινί ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατόν πρόβατα καί πλανηθῇ ἕν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐχί ἀφείς τά ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπί τά ὄρη καί πορευθείς ζητεῖ τό πλανώμενον)

Jesus is using the question form to get the attention of the disciples. 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: [I want you to pay attention to what I am about to say.] or [Listen to this!]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ὑμῖν

˱to˲_you_all

The word you is plural because Jesus is speaking to his disciples.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parables

ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα

To teach the disciples, Jesus offers a story or illustration. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [Listen to this story: If a certain man has 100 sheep]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν γένηταί τινι ἀνθρώπῳ ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, καὶ πλανηθῇ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν & ἀφείς

Here Jesus uses an imaginary situation to help explain what would happen if a person had 100 sheep, but one of them went astray. Use a natural method in your language for introducing an imaginary situation. Alternate translation: [Imagine a certain man who has 100 sheep. However, one of them goes astray. Having left]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οὐχὶ ἀφείς τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη, καὶ πορευθεὶς ζητεῖ τὸ πλανώμενον?

Jesus is using the question form to teach the disciples. 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: [having left the 99 on the mountains and having gone out, he will seek the one having gone astray] or [having left the 99 on the mountains and having gone out, he will most definitely seek the one having gone astray!]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα

Jesus is using the number 99 as a noun to mean 99 sheep. Your language may use numbers in the same way. If not, you could translate this one with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [the 99 sheep]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη

Here, the phrase the mountains refers to hilly or mountainous areas in general, not several specific mountains. If possible, use a general word for a hilly or mountainous area without indicating one particular place. Alternate translation: [in the hill country] or [in a mountainous area]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / go

πορευθεὶς

In a context such as this, your language might say “come” instead of gone. Alternate translation: [having come]