Family life and passing on faith

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

Teaching and remembering across generations

OET Deu 6:4-9

4 Listen Yisrael: Yahweh alone is our god[ref] 5 and you should love your god Yahweh with your whole mind, your entire being, and all your strength.[ref] 6 Always be considering these instructions that I’m giving you today,[ref] 7 and diligently teach them to your children, and talk about them when you’re sitting at home and when you’re out walking, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Your hands should always be applying them and your minds should always be evaluating them. 9 Carve them onto your doorposts at home, and on your city gates.

6:4: Mrk 12:29.

6:5: Mat 22:37; Mrk 12:30; Luk 10:27.

6:6-9: Deu 11:18-20.

4 Wwww[fn] Oh _Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) YHWH god _of_our YHWH wwww.
[fn]

5 And_you _will _love DOM YHWH god _of_your in_all heart _of_your and_on/over_all being _of_your and_on/over_all strength _of_your.

6 And_they _will _be the_words/messages the_these which I am_commanding _of_you the_day on heart _of_your.

7 And_you_will _repeat _them to_children _of_your and_you _will _speak in_them when_sit_you in_house _of_your and_when_walk_you on_road and_when_you_lie _down and_when_you_rise _up.

8 And_you_will _tie _them for_a _sign on hand _of_your and_they _will _be for_marks between eyes _of_your.

9 And_you_will _write _them on the _doorposts _of your _house _of_your and_on_gates _of_your.

6:4 OSHB note: Large letter(s). Shown as large letters without a superscript note number.

OET Psa 78:1-8

78:1 God’s past goodness

A song[fn] by Asaf.

1 Hear my teaching, my people.

≈ Listen to what I’m saying.

2 I will speak out in parables;

≈ I will sing about hidden things about the past.[ref]

3 These are things that we have heard and learnt—

things that our ancestors have told us.

4 We won’t keep them from their descendants.

We’ll tell the next generation about Yahweh’s praiseworthy actions,

his strength, and the miracles that he has done.

5 Also he established a rule in Ya’akov (Jacob)

≈ and appointed a law in Yisrael (Israel).

He commanded our ancestors

→ that they were to teach them to their children.

6 He commanded this so that the generation to come might know his decrees—

the children not yet born who should tell them in turn to their own children.

7 Then they would place their hope in God

and not forget what he’s done

but obey his commands.

8 Then they would not be like their ancestors,

who were a stubborn and rebellious generation—

a generation who didn’t control their hearts,

and whose spirits were not committed and faithful to God.

78:0 In Hebrew, ‘maskil’ is perhaps the name of this class of song.

78:2: Mat 13:35.

78 A _poem of_ʼĀşāf[fn] give_ear _to my _people _of_my instruction _of_my incline ear _of_your(pl) to_the _words/messages _of my _mouth _of_my.

2 I _will _open in_a _parable mouth _of_my I _will _pour _forth riddles from antiquity.

3 Which we _have _heard and_we_have _known _them and_ancestors _of_our they _have _recounted to/for_us.

4 Not we _will _hide from_descendants _of_their to_a _generation later we _will_recount the _praises _of YHWH and_might _of_his and_wonders _of_his which he _has _done.

5 And_he _established a _transcript in_Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) and_a _law he _appointed in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) which he _commanded DOM ancestors _of_our to_make_them _known to_children _of_their.

6 So _that they _may _know a _generation later children who_they _will _be _born they _will _arise and_they _will _recount_them to_children _of_their.

7 And_they _will _put in_god confidence _of_their and_not they _will _forget the _deeds _of god and_commands _of_his they _will _observe.

8 And_not they _will _be like_ancestors _of_their a _generation stubborn and_rebellious a _generation which_not his/its_heart it _directed and_not it _was _faithful with god his/its_breath/wind/spirit.

78:1 Note: KJB: Ps.78.1

OET 2 Tim 1:3-7

1:3 Advice and encouragement

3 I’ve been serving God with a clean conscience since my childhood and I’m thankful to him that night and day I haven’t stopped praying for you—4 remembering your tears and longing to see you again, which will fill me with happiness. 5 I recall your faith without hypocrisy, which I first noticed in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunike,[ref] and which I’m sure is also in you. 6 So that’s why I’m reminding you to rekindle God’s gift which you received when I placed my hands on you and prayed for you, 7 because God didn’t give us a fearful spirit, but gave us power, love, and wisdom.

1:5: Acts 16:1.

3 I _am _having thankfulness to_ the _god, unto _whom I _am _serving from my_parents with a_pure conscience, as I _am _having the unceasing mentioning for you in the petitions of _me, night and day,

4 longing to _see you, having _remembered of _the tears of _you, in _order _that I _may _be _filled with _joy,

5 having _taken remembrance of _the unhypocritical faith in you, which dwelt first in the grandmother of _you, Lōis, and in _the mother of _you, Eunikaʸ, and I _have _been _persuaded that also in you it _is.

6 For/Because that cause I _am _reminding you to _be _rekindling the gift of_ the _god, which is in you by the laying _on of _the hands of _me.

7 For/Because the god not gave to _us a_spirit of _fear, but of _power, and of _love, and of _sensibility.

Children, parents and care in the home

OET Mark 10:13-16

10:13 Yeshua encourages childlike faith

(Mat. 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17)

13 The people were bringing small children for Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) to touch, but his apprentices scolded them. 14 However, Yeshua noticed it and was upset, “Just let those kids come. Don’t prevent them, because God’s kingdom consists of people like them. 15 Actually, you can’t even enter God’s kingdom unless you accept it just like a small child does.”[ref] 16 So he continued hugging the children and commanding a good life for them as he placed his hands on each one.

10:15: Mat 18:3.

13 And they _were _bringing little _children to _him, in _order _that he _may _touch against _them, but the apprentices/followers gave _rebuke to _them.

14 But the Yaʸsous having _seen, resented, and said to _them:
Allow the little _children to _be _coming to me and be_ not _forbidding them, because/for the kingdom of_ the _god is the of _such.

15 Truly, I _am _saying to _you _all, whoever wishfully may_ not _receive the kingdom of_ the _god as a_little _child by _no _means may_ not _come _in into it.

16 And having _embraced them, he _was _blessing them, laying his hands on them.

OET Eph 6:1-4

6:1 Parents and children

6 ⇔It’s right for children following Yahweh to obey your parents.[ref] 2 Honour your father and mother (that’s the first command that’s followed by a promise) 3 so that things will go well for you and you’ll have a long life on the earth.[ref]

4 Fathers, don’t provoke your children to anger,[ref] but bring them up caringly and teach them disciplines and instructions from Yahweh.

6:1: Col 3:20.

6:2-3: Exo 20:12; Deu 5:16.

6:4: Col 3:21.

6 The Children, be _submitting to _the parents of _you _all in the_master, because/for this is right.

2 Be _honouring the father of _you and the mother (which is the_first command with a_promise),

3 in _order _that it _may _become well with _you, and you _will _be a_long _time on the earth.

4 And the fathers, not be _angering the children of _you _all, but be _nurturing them in the_discipline and admonition of_the_master.

OET Col 3:18-21

3:18 Advice by role

18 You wives should be subject to your husbands to the degree that it’s fitting in Yahweh.[ref]

19 You husbands should love your wives[ref]—don’t become bitter towards them.

20 You children should obey your parents in everything,[ref] because that pleases Yahweh.

21 You fathers shouldn’t be exasperating your children otherwise they may become discouraged.[ref]

3:18: Eph 5:22; 1Pe 3:1.

3:19: Eph 5:25; 1Pe 3:7.

3:20: Eph 6:1.

3:21: Eph 6:4.

18 The Wives, be _being _subjected to _your husbands, as was _fitting in the_master.

19 The Husbands, be _loving your wives, and be_ not _being _embittered toward them.

20 The Children, be _submitting to _your parents in all things, because/for this is well _pleasing in the_master.

21 The fathers, not be _provoking the children of _you _all, in _order _that they _may_ not _be _losing _heart.

Honouring and supporting relatives

OET Mark 7:6-13

6 “Yeshayah (Isaiah) got it exactly right,” he answered, “when he expressed God’s thoughts about you hypocrites and wrote:

‘These people honour me with their lips,

but their real desires are far away from me.

7 Their worship of me is worthless—

teaching man-made rules as if they are from God.’[ref]

8 You’ve ignored God’s commands instead accepting human traditions.

9 “You all simply dismiss God’s commands in favour of your own customs, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) continued. 10 Mosheh (Moses) teaches us,

‘Honour your parents,’[ref]

and

‘Anyone dishonestly slandering their parents deserves the death penalty.’[ref]

11 But when you all encourage people to say, ‘Whatever I had that may have helped you guys has been given to God’, 12 you are actively discouraging them from helping their parents— 13 overriding God’s message with your very convenient teaching that you disseminate instead. And that’s not the only example!”

7:6-7: Isa 29:13 (LXX).

7:10: Exo 20:12; Deu 5:16.

7:10: Exo 21:17; Lev 20:9.

6 And he answering said to _them:
Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊ^yāh) rightly prophesied concerning you _all the hypocrites, as it _has _been _written, that This the people is _honouring me with _the lips, but the heart of _them is _being _away far _away from me.

7 And they _are _worshipping me uselessly, teaching the_commands of _humans as _teachings.

8 Having _left the command of_ the _god, you _all _are _taking _hold _of the tradition of_ the _humans.

9 And he _was _saying to _them:
You _all _are _rejecting well the command of_ the _god, in _order _that you _all _may _keep the tradition of _you _all.

10 For/Because Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh) said:
Be _honouring the father of _you and the mother of _you, and:
The one speaking _evil father or mother let _be _dying in _death.

11 But you _all are _saying:
If a_person may _say to _the father or the mother:
whatever you _may _be _benefitted if from me it _is Korban (that is ‘a_gift’),

12 you _all _are_ no _longer _allowing him to _do nothing for _the father or the mother,

13 annulling the message of_ the _god for _the tradition of _you _all to _which you _all _gave _over.
And many similar such things you _all _are _doing.

OET 1 Tim 5:3-8

3 Show honour to widows—the real widows that is 4 because if a widow has children or grandchildren, then they should be learning to show their godliness to their own relatives first, and to be repaying their parents and grandparents because this is what God expects. 5 A woman who is a real widow and has been left by herself but puts her hope in God, she is then able to spend her days and nights in prayer and requesting God’s response. 6 But a widow who just lives for pleasure is dead inside even though she’s still living. 7 You should teach these things, Timotheos, so that the people don’t anger God, 8 because if someone is not providing for their own household, then they’ve rejected their faith in God and they’re acting worse than an unbeliever.

3 Be _honouring widows, who are really widows.

4 But if any widow is _having children or grandchildren, let _them _be _learning to _be _devout first to _their own household, and to _be _giving _back recompense to _the parents, because/for this is acceptable before the god.

5 And the woman really a_widow and having _been _isolated has _hoped in god, and is _remaining the in _petitions and the prayers, night and day.

6 But the woman living _luxuriously, while _living has _died.

7 Also be _commanding these things, in _order _that they _may _be irreproachable.

8 But if anyone is_ not _providing of _their own and most _of _all household, he _has _disowned the faith, and is worse than an_unbeliever.

Please contact us at Freely dot Given dot org (at) gmail dot com if there’s any passages that you’d like us to add to this topic page, or any passages that need a little bit more context around them. (We encourage our readers to always view things in their context, so we discourage use of the word ‘verse’, especially in sayings like, “This verse says …”.)