MAT 9:38 Parallel Verse View

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) So ask the owner of the harvest to send more workers to help with it.”

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
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 Therefore, earnestly ask the Lord of the harvest, so that he might send out laborers into his harvest.”

UST So pray to God, who wants all of those people to believe, and plead with him for more people who can go and help them.”

BSB Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

BLB Beseech the Lord of the harvest, therefore, that He might send out workmen into His harvest."

AICNT therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

OEB Therefore pray to the owner of the harvest to send labourers to gather in his harvest.’

WEBBE Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out labourers into his harvest.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

LSV therefore implore the Lord of the harvest that He may put forth workmen to His harvest.”

FBV Pray to the Lord of the harvest, and ask him to send more workers for his harvest.”

TCNT Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

T4T So pray and ask the Lord God to send more workers who will gather people together and teach them my message, just like a landowner sends workers into his field to gather the [MET] harvest.”

LEB Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.”

BBE Make prayer, then, to the Lord of the grain-fields, that he may send out workers to get in his grain.

Moff so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest."

Wymth therefore entreat the Owner of the Harvest to send out reapers into His fields."
¶ 

ASV Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.

DRA Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.

YLT beseech ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he may put forth workmen to His harvest.'

Drby supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth workmen unto his harvest.

RV Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.
(Pray ye/you_all therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest. )

SLT Implore therefore the Lord of the harvest, so that he might draw forth laborers into his harvest.

Wbstr Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.

KJB-1769 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
( Pray ye/you_all therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. )

KJB-1611 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the haruest, that hee will send foorth labourers into his haruest.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Pray ye therfore the lorde of the haruest, that he wyl thrust foorth labourers into the haruest.
(Pray ye/you_all therefore the lord of the harvest, that he will thrust forth labourers into the harvest.)

Gnva Wherefore pray the Lord of the haruest, that he woulde sende foorth labourers into his haruest.
(Wherefore pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. )

Cvdl Wherfore praye the LORDE of the haruest, to sende forth laborers into hys haruest.
(Wherefore pray the LORD of the harvest, to send forth laborers into his harvest.)

TNT Wherfore praye the Lorde of the harvest to sende forthe laborers into hys harvest.
(Wherefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest. )

Wycl Therfor preye ye the lord of the ripe corn, that he sende werke men in to his ripe corn.
(Therefore pray ye/you_all the lord of the ripe corn, that he send work men in to his ripe corn.)

Luth Darum bittet den HErr’s der Ernte, daß er Arbeiter in seine Ernte sende!
(Therefore requests the LORD’s the/of_the harvest, that he work/jober in his harvest send!)

ClVg Rogate ergo Dominum messis, ut mittat operarios in messem suam.
(Rogate therefore the_Master harvest/crop, as mittat to_workos in/into/on messem his_own. )

UGNT δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(deaʸthaʸte oun tou Kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou.)

SBL-GNT δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(deaʸthaʸte oun tou kuriou tou therismou hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou.)

RP-GNT δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(deaʸthaʸte oun tou kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou.)

TC-GNT δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(deaʸthaʸte oun tou Kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:35–38: The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few

This short section is a transitional section. The section begins with what is probably a summary of Jesus’ activities in chapters 5–9: he traveled around teaching, preaching, and healing people. The section ends with a call to pray to God to send more workers into the harvest. This is an introduction to Jesus sending out the twelve disciples in chapter 10.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The need for more workers in God’s kingdom

Jesus’ workers are few

Jesus Has Pity on People (CEV)

9:38a

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,

So seriously ask^(plur) the Lord of the harvest
So pray to God to send out workers to cause people to believe in me. This is like begging the master of the harvest

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore: The BSB places the word therefore in the middle of the sentence. This is good English style. However, in some language, it may be necessary to place this word at the beginning of 9:38a. For example:

therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest (ESV)

Ask the Lord of the harvest: This is the last part of this extended metaphor. In this part, God is compared to the lord/owner of the harvest. Just as the lord/owner of the harvest is in charge of bringing in the harvest, God is in charge of bringing people into the kingdom.

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

Keep the metaphor. For example:
pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest (NLT)
Pray to the owner of the harvest (GNT)
Change the metaphor to a simile and make the parts explicit. For example:
pray to God to send out workers to cause people to believe in me. This is like asking the owner of the harvest
pray to God to commission more workers to bring people into his kingdom. This is like asking the master of the harvest

Ask: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Ask also means “beg, plead, or ask seriously.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

pray earnestly (ESV)

Pray (NLT)

the Lord of the harvest: In this context, the word Lord means “owner” or “master.” In this context, it is the one who is in charge of the harvest. This phrase refers figuratively to God, so the BSB capitalizes the word Lord.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the owner of the harvest (GNT)

the Lord in charge of the harvest (CEV)

the Lord, who owns the harvest, (NCV)

In some languages people may not naturally use a word that means “owner” or “master” to refer to God. If this is true in your language, you can also use your word for God. For example:

God the Lord

God, the master/owner

See Lord in the Glossary.

therefore: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as therefore indicates that 9:38 is a type of conclusion. This conclusion is an appeal to pray for God to send out workers.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

For this reason

Because of that

So (NLT)

Some English versions do not translate this word.

9:38b

to send out workers into His harvest.”

to send more workers into his field to harvest them.”
to send out other people to join in bringing in the crops/grain.”

to send out workers: The word workers refers to the people who do the work of harvesting. Figuratively this refers to people who bring others to God to be part of his kingdom.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

that he will send more workers (NCV)

to send men (JBP)

that he will send others to join them

into His harvest: In some languages, it will be natural to add another verb here. In other languages, it will be natural to make the word harvest a verb. For example:

to gather in his harvest (GNT)

to bring it in (CEV)

to bring in the ripe crops

General Comment on 9:37–38

In some languages, it is helpful to explain the meaning of the metaphor in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:

This metaphor/parable shows us that many people are ready to believe in Jesus, but there are not many people to go and bring them into the kingdom. Jesus told his followers to pray for God to send more people to go help them trust in him.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

δεήθητε

˓be˒_besought

Here, the command is in plural form because Jesus is speaking to his disciples.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ

˱of˲_the Lord ˱of˲_the harvest so_that ˱he˲_˓may˒_send_forth workers into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τόν θερισμόν αὐτοῦ)

Jesus continues to speak of people who will believe as if they were a harvest and of those who proclaim the good news as if they were laborers who help with the harvest. He also describes God as the Lord of the harvest. He means that the disciples should ask God to send more people to proclaim the good news to others. Express the idea as you did in [9:37](../09/37.md). Alternate translation: [the Lord, who is like the person in charge of the harvest, to send out more people who will proclaim the good news. These people are like the laborers for the harvest.]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ

˱of˲_the Lord ˱of˲_the harvest

Jesus is using the possessive form to describe God as the one who is the Lord who is in charge of the harvest. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [the Lord, who is in charge of the harvest]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ

˱of˲_the ˱of˲_the harvest so_that ˱he˲_˓may˒_send_forth workers into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τόν θερισμόν αὐτοῦ)

It may be more natural in your language to have a direct quotation here. Alternate translation: [of the harvest, ‘Please send out laborers into your harvest.’]

Parallel MAT 9:38

Section 9:35–38: The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few

9:38a

9:38b

General Comment on 9:37–38