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Mat 7 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) “Don’t give special things to dogs, and don’t throw pearls to pigs, because they’ll all just trample them underfoot, and then they’re just as likely to turn and attack you.![]()
OET-LV You_all_may_ not _give the holy thing to_the dogs, nor may_you_all_throw the pearls of_you_all before the pigs, lest they_will_be_trampling them with the feet of_them, and having_been_turned they_may_attack you_all.
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SR-GNT Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς. ‡
(Maʸ dōte to hagion tois kusin, maʸde balaʸte tous margaritas humōn emprosthen tōn ⱪoirōn, maʸpote katapataʸsousin autous en tois posin autōn, kai strafentes ɽaʸxōsin humas.)
Key: khaki:verbs, 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 You should neither give the holy to the dogs nor should you throw your pearls in front of the pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them under their feet, and having turned, they will tear you to pieces.
UST Apply this saying to how you live: do not present sacred things to dogs, and do not put valuable things in front of pigs. I say that because the pigs will crush your valuable things, and the dogs will destroy the sacred things and then attack you.
BSB {Do} not give dogs what is holy; {do} not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn [and] tear you to pieces.
MSB {Do} not give dogs what is holy; {do} not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn [and] tear you to pieces.
BLB Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before the pigs, lest they shall trample upon them with their feet, and having turned, tear you to pieces.
AICNT “Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you.
OEB ‘Do not give what is sacred to dogs; they will turn and maul you. Do not throw your pearls before pigs; they will trample them underfoot.
WEBBE “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
WMBB (Same as above)
NET Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.
LSV You may not give that which is [holy] to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before the pigs, that they may not trample them among their feet, and having turned—may tear you apart.
FBV Don't give dogs what's holy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs. That way the pigs won't trample them underfoot, and the dogs won't turn and attack you.
TCNT “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them with their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
T4T “You do not give holy things to dogs that would ignore those things and attack you [CHI]. You do not throw pearls in front of hogs, because they would just ignore them and trample them. Similarly, do not give precious spiritual truth to people you know will not value it but instead will do evil things to you.”
LEB “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls in front of pigs, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn around and[fn] tear you to pieces.
7:6 *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“turn around”) has been translated as a finite verb
BBE Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, or put your jewels before pigs, for fear that they will be crushed under foot by the pigs whose attack will then be made against you.
Moff Never give dogs what is sacred and do not throw pearls before swine, in case they trample them under foot and turn to gore you.
¶
Wymth "Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls to the swine; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you.
ASV Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
DRA Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you.
YLT 'Ye may not give that which is [holy] to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before the swine, that they may not trample them among their feet, and having turned — may rend you.
Drby Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them with their feet, and turning round rend you.
RV Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.
(Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest happily they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you. )
SLT Ye should not give the holy thing to dogs neither should ye cast your pearls before swine, lest they tread them down with their feet, and having turned, should rend you.
Wbstr Give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
KJB-1769 ¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
(¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye/you_all your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. )
KJB-1611 ¶ Giue not that which is holy vnto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearles before swine: lest they trample them vnder their feete, and turne againe and rent you.
(¶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye/you_all your pearls before swine: lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you.)
Bshps Geue not that which is holy, vnto dogges, neyther caste ye your pearles before swyne, lest they treade them vnder their feete, and turning agayne, all to rent you.
(Give not that which is holy, unto dogs, neither cast/threw ye/you_all your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and turning again, all to rent you.)
Gnva Giue ye not that which is holy, to dogges, neither cast ye your pearles before swine, lest they treade them vnder their feete, and turning againe, all to rent you.
(Give ye/you_all not that which is holy, to dogs, neither cast ye/you_all your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and turning again, all to rent you. )
Cvdl Geue not that which is holy, to dogges: nether cast ye youre pearles before swyne, lest they treade them vnder their fete, & the other turne agayne and all to rente you.
(Give not that which is holy, to dogs: neither cast ye/you_all your(pl) pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and the other turn again and all to rente you.)
TNT Geve not that which is holy to dogges nether cast ye youre pearles before swyne lest they treade them vnder their fete and the other tourne agayne and all to rent you.
(Geve not that which is holy to dogs neither cast ye/you_all your(pl) pearls before swine lest they tread them under their feet and the other turn again and all to rent you. )
Wycl Nile ye yyue hooli thing to houndis, nethir caste ye youre margaritis bifore swyne, lest perauenture thei defoulen hem with her feet, and the houndis be turned, and al to-tere you.
(Nile ye/you_all give holy thing to houndis, neither cast/threw ye/you_all your(pl) margaritis before swine, lest peradventure/perhaps they defiling hem with her feet, and the houndis be turned, and all to-tere you.)
Luth Ihr sollt das Heiligtum nicht den Hunden geben und eure Perlen sollt ihr nicht vor die Säue werfen, auf daß sie dieselbigen nicht zertreten mit ihren Füßen und sich wenden und euch zerreißen.
(You(pl) should the sanctuary not the dogsn give and your(pl) pearls should you(pl)/their/her not before/in_front_of the sow/female_pig throw, on/in/to that they/she/them the_same not crushed/trampled with your(pl) feet and itself/yourself/themselves turn_around and you tear_(apart).)
ClVg Nolite dare sanctum canibus: neque mittatis margaritas vestras ante porcos, ne forte conculcent eas pedibus suis, et conversi dirumpant vos.[fn]
(Don't dare holy dogs: nor mittatis margaritas your before pigs, not perhaps conculcent them feet to_his_own, and converted dirumpant you(pl). )
7.6 Nolite sanctum, etc. Purgato oculo, possunt dispensatores Ecclesiæ alios castigare, sed non sanctum canibus dare; quia sicut periculosum est abscondere, ita prodigum est canibus dare. Talibus mystica non sunt aperienda, sed velo tegenda sancta sanctorum: apertiora vero et quasi viliora dici possunt. Nolite. Eadem dicitur sanctum et margarita, id est Evangelium et sacramenta ecclesiastica. Sanctum, quia natura inviolabile, nec debet ab aliquo corrumpi. Margarita, quæ in abscondito latet: et de figuris, quasi apertis conchis eruitur, gemma est pretiosa quæ non potest corrumpi. Canes vere sunt qui oblatrant, et quod integrum est dilacerant; porci qui vilipendunt et conculcant: vel canes ad vomitum reversi, porci nondum conversi, sed in luto vitiorum versati. Et conversi. Ne forte adhuc aliquid audire disrumpant, non margaritas quas conculcant, sed vos indignatione. Non enim facile potest inveniri quod talibus gratum sit.
7.6 Don't holy, etc. Purgato with_an_eye, they_can dispensatores Assemblies/Churches others castigare, but not/no holy dogs dare; because like periculosum it_is abscondere, so/thus prodigum it_is dogs dare. Talibus mystica not/no are aperienda, but velo tegenda holy holy_place: apertiora indeed/however and as_if viliora to_be_said they_can. Nolite. Eadem it_is_said holy and margarita, that it_is the_Gospel and sacraments ecclesiastica. Sanctum, because nature/element inviolabile, but_not must away somewhere corrumpi. Margarita, which in/into/on secretly latet: and from/about figuris, as_if apertis conchis eruitur, gemma it_is precious which not/no can corrumpi. Canes really/truly are who/which oblatrant, and that whole it_is dilacerant; pigs who/which vilipendunt and conculcant: or dogs to vomitum returned, pigs not_yet conversi, but in/into/on luto of_vices versati. And conversi. Don't perhaps still something to_hear disrumpant, not/no margaritas which conculcant, but you(pl) with_indignation. Not/No because facile can I_foundri that such gratum let_it_be.
UGNT μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.
(maʸ dōte to hagion tois kusin, maʸde balaʸte tous margaritas humōn emprosthen tōn ⱪoirōn, maʸpote katapataʸsousin autous en tois posin autōn, kai strafentes ɽaʸxōsin humas.)
SBL-GNT Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε ⸀καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.
(Maʸ dōte to hagion tois kusin, maʸde balaʸte tous margaritas humōn emprosthen tōn ⱪoirōn, maʸpote ⸀katapataʸsousin autous en tois posin autōn kai strafentes ɽaʸxōsin humas.)
RP-GNT Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν· μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.
(Maʸ dōte to hagion tois kusin; maʸde balaʸte tous margaritas humōn emprosthen tōn ⱪoirōn, maʸpote katapataʸsōsin autous en tois posin autōn, kai strafentes ɽaʸxōsin humas.)
TC-GNT Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσί· μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε [fn]καταπατήσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.
(Maʸ dōte to hagion tois kusi; maʸde balaʸte tous margaritas humōn emprosthen tōn ⱪoirōn, maʸpote katapataʸsōsin autous en tois posin autōn, kai strafentes ɽaʸxōsin humas. )
7:6 καταπατησωσιν ¦ καταπατησουσιν CT
Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).
7:6 Rabbis often referred to important ideas or Scripture verses as pearls. The mysteries of the Kingdom (13:11) are holy (see Exod 29:33; Lev 2:3; 22:10-16; Num 18:8-10).
• Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy: Literally Don’t give the sacred to dogs. Jews often referred to Gentiles as dogs (see Matt 15:26; see Ps 22:16, 20) or pigs because those animals were unclean (Lev 11). Some interpreters understand this statement as warning that the message of the Kingdom would not be well received by many Gentiles. Others see it as a warning about offering the message of the Kingdom to the resistant Jewish leaders (see Matt 5:20; 10:11-14; see also Heb 10:29) or to unbelievers in general (see Matt 18:17; see also 1 Cor 2:13-16; 2 Pet 2:21-22).
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
Do not give dogs what is holy…and then turn and tear you to pieces: Before you translate 7:6a–d, there are two main issues to consider:
Issue 1: Interpretation issue
There are three ways to interpret the way that the clause and then turn and tear you to pieces (7:6d) is connected to the rest of the verse:
It is connected to 7:6a and refers to what dogs will do. The dogs will turn and tear you to pieces. According to this interpretation, the four clauses in 7:6 are arranged in a special order called a “chiasmus.” In this chiasmus, the first clause (7:6a) goes together with the last clause (7:6d), and the two middle clauses go together. For example:
6aDon’t give holy things to dogs, 6band don’t throw your pearls before pigs. 6cPigs will only trample on them, 6dand dogs will turn to attack you. (NCV) (GNT, CEV, NCV, and many commentaries)Some commentators that follow the interpretation that this verse is a chiasmus are Hagner, page 171; Morris, page 169, Osborne, page 260, Carson, page 185, Turner (2008), page 206, Davies and Allison, page 677, France (2007), page 277–278.
It is connected to 7:6b and refers to another thing that pigs will do. According to this interpretation, this verse is not a chiasmus. Swine/pigs will both trample the pearls (7:6c) and turn to attack you (7:6d). There is no description of what dogs will do. For example:
6aDo not give dogs what is holy; 6band do not throw your pearls before swine, 6clest they trample them under foot 6dand turn to attack you. (RSV) (RSV, NJB)
It, together with 7:6c, is connected to 7:6a–7:6b and refers to another thing that both dogs and swine/pigs will do. Dogs and swine will both trample pearls underfoot (7:6c) and turn and attack you (7:6d). For example:
Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (NIV) (BSB, NIV, NET, GW, NLT, REB)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most commentaries follow this interpretation. Another way to translate this verse is:
6aDon’t give to dogs what belongs to God. 6dThey will only turn and attack you. 6bDon’t throw pearls down in front of pigs. 6cThey will trample all over them. (CEV)
Issue 2: Metaphor
Verse 7:6 is a proverb-like saying using metaphors of dogs, pigs, and pearls. The “dogs” and “swine” refer to people. They probably refer to people who have rejected the gospel of Jesus. The phrase “what is holy” and the word “pearls” refer to the truths of the gospel of the kingdom.
One way to translate this verse is to put an explanation before the metaphors. For example:
Do not give what is holy to people who do not value the good news and even attack it. That would be like giving something holy to dogs or like throwing pearls to swine/pigs. If you do, the pigs will trample those things and the dogs will turn and attack you.
Some other ways to translate the metaphors are listed below.
Do not give dogs what is holy;
¶ “Do not give(plur) holy things to dogs,
¶ “Do not give what is holy to those who do not value the good news and even attack it. That would be like giving holy things to dogs
¶ “Do not give what belongs to God to people who act like wild dogs.
Do not give dogs what is holy: The word dogs is a metaphor. In this metaphor, certain people are compared to wild dogs. Like wild dogs attack other animals, certain people continually reject the message of the good news of the kingdom. They even attack those people who preach the good news.
Here the word dogs refers to wild or stray dogs. They are not dogs that people keep around their houses.
Here Jesus taught his disciples not to continue to teach the message of the good news to people who continue to reject and attack both the message and those who preach it.
Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
Do not give what is holy to dogs (GNT)
Don’t give holy things to dogs (NCV)
Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
Do not give what is holy to people who act like wild dogs.
Do not give what is holy to people who reject it like wild dogs.
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Do not continue to give/teach the holy message of the good news to people who reject it.
Don’t give what is holy to unholy people. (NLT96) If you follow this option, you may want to include a footnote that gives the literal words. Here is a sample footnote:
Literally: “Do not give what is holy to dogs.”
what is holy: The word holy means “dedicated to God.” The phrase what is holy represents the good news of the kingdom of God.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
what belongs to God (CEV)
holy things (NCV)
what is sacred (NIV)
do not throw your pearls before swine.
nor throw/scatter your pearls to pigs.
and tossing your expensive beads in front of pigs.
Also, do not throw/give the valuable truths of God to people who act like pigs.
In Greek, 7:6b begins with a conjunction that indicates that another negative clause is coming. This conjunction can be translated as “nor,” “and” and “or.” For example:
Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw…
Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw… (NET)
Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw… (NRSV)
The BSB does not translate this conjunction, but connects 7:6a and b with a semi-colon (;).
do not throw your pearls before swine:
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
Don’t throw pearls down in front of pigs. (CEV)
Change the metaphors to similes and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
Do not give the valuable truths from God to people who do not value them. This is like throwing pearls to swine/pigs.
Translate without the metaphor. For example:
Do not give the valuable truths from God to people who do not value them. You may then want a footnote that gives the literal words:
Literally: “Do not throw your pearls to swinge/pigs.”
do not throw: The verb phrase do not throw implies carelessly throwing away something. The truths of the gospel are valuable like pearls. Jesus tells his followers not to carelessly share these truths with people who will not value them.
Here are some other ways to translate this verb:
Don’t give (NLT96)
Do not scatter/toss
Do not share
your pearls: The word pearls refers to round, stone-like beads about 5–10 millimeters (quarter to half an inch) across. Pearls are found in a kind of shellfish called an “oyster.” Pearls are often very beautiful, and good ones are very valuable. People wear them in necklaces and as other jewelry.
In this context, the word pearls is a metaphor. Pearls represent the good news of the kingdom of God. They are similar in that both are valuable. The word pearls corresponds to the phrase “what is holy” in 7:6a.
Here are some other ways to translate the word pearls:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
valuable jewels called pearls
expensive beads
precious/costly stones
Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:
the good news of the kingdom which is valuable like pearls
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
the good news of the kingdom
before swine: The word swine means “pigs.” It is a metaphor. In this metaphor, certain people are compared to pigs, also called swine. Like swine do not value pearls and so trample them, certain people do not value the message of the good news of the kingdom.
If you do, they may trample them under their feet,
If you do that, the pigs will trample those things under their feet.
The pigs will step on them
Otherwise, they will not value those things.
If you do: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as If you do links two actions. The first action was “throwing pearls before swine” in 7:6b. The second action is “they…trample them under their feet” in 7:6c. The first action prevents the second action from happening. Jesus was saying that a person should not throw pearls in front of swine/pigs (7:6b) to prevent the pearls from being trampled underfoot (7:6c).
Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:
lest (ESV)
otherwise (NET)
so that they do not
they: If you followed the recommended interpretation (1) in the note on 7:6a–d, the pronoun they refers to the pigs. In some languages, it will be good to make this explicit. For example:
Pigs will only trample on them (NCV)
trample them under their feet: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as trample them under their feet refers to purposely walking on something to crush it into the ground with your feet.
This clause continues the metaphor of 7:6b. Here are some other ways to translate this:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
trample them under their feet (NIV)
stomp them into the ground
walk/step on them
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
They will not value those things.
and then turn and tear you to pieces.
And the dogs will turn and attack you.”
and the dogs will turn and bite you.”
And the people who act like dogs will turn and attack/mock you.”
As mentioned above, this clause refers to what the dogs (in 7:6a) will do. In some languages, it will be good to make this explicit. For example:
and dogs will turn to attack you (NCV)
and then turn and tear you to pieces: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as turn and tear you to pieces refers to cutting flesh with the teeth.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
turn and tear you to pieces (NIV)
and turn and bite you
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
and the people who act like dogs will turn and mock/disrespect you
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure
μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
It is likely that Jesus speaks about dogs in the first and last clauses in this verse and about pigs in the middle two clauses. This was a poetic form in his culture. If your readers would not recognize this as poetry and misunderstand which animals Jesus is speaking about in the last two clauses, you could rearrange the clauses. Alternate translation: [You should not give the holy to the dogs. Otherwise, having turned, they will tear you to pieces. Nor should you throw your pearls in front of the pigs. Otherwise they will trample them under their feet]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
Here Jesus speaks of how his disciples should behave as if they were interacting with dogs, pearls, and pigs. See the chapter introduction for some possible interpretations of this figure of speech. You should express the idea in a way that allows for many interpretations. If it is necessary for you to indicate that Jesus is using a figure of speech here, you could introduce the verse with a form that usually introduces a saying or proverb. Alternate translation: [Think about what this means for your life: You should neither give the holy to the dogs, nor should you throw your pearls in front of the pigs. Otherwise they will trample them under their feet, and having turned, tear you to pieces]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj
τὸ ἅγιον
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
Jesus is using the adjective holy as a noun to mean anything that is holy. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [holy things]
Note 4 topic: translate-unknown
τοῖς κυσίν
˱to˲_the dogs
A dog is an animal that is considered to be unclean and disgusting by Jews and many cultures of the Ancient Near East. It would be very improper to give the holy to this kind of animal. If dogs are unfamiliar to your culture and you have a different animal that is considered unclean and disgusting, you could use the name of this animal instead.
Note 5 topic: translate-unknown
τοὺς μαργαρίτας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
The word pearls refers to beautiful and valuable mineral balls that people use as jewelry. If your readers would not be familiar with pearls, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [jewelry] or [valuable beads]
Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns
καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς
˱they˲_˓will_be˒_trampling (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
Here, the phrases they will trample and they will tear could refer to: (1) how the pigs trample and the dogs tear. Alternate translation: [the pigs will trample them under their feet, and having turned, the dogs will tear you to pieces] (2) how the pigs and the gods will together trample and tear. Alternate translation: [the pigs and dogs together will trample them under their feet, and having turned, they will tear you to pieces]
Note 7 topic: writing-pronouns
αὐτοὺς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή δῶτε τό ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν μηδέ βάλητε τούς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτούς ἐν τοῖς ποσίν αὐτῶν καί στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς)
Here, the word them refers to the pearls. If this is not clear for your readers, you could refer directly to pearls. Alternate translation: [the pearls]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
στραφέντες
˓having_been˒_turned
Here, the phrase having turned indicates that the animals will stop paying attention to the holy things and pearls and start focusing on you. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [turning to face you] or [focusing on you instead]