complete verse (Luke 8:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:15:

  • Noongar: “Seeds falling on the good ground resemble people: they hear the Word and hold the truth in their hearts, good and straight hearts, and they become strong and bear fruit.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘The seed that falls in fertile ground stands for people who hear the Word of God, and that word they hold with straightness and holiness of heart. They endure/keep-on following the Word of God, until there is purpose to their lives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And what is broadcasted on the good land is a figure for the people who hear the word of God and have a good and pliable liver. They really cherish the word in their liver and they really persevere to follow it, therefore like plants figuratively they bear fruit, that means they have good results/outcome.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now as for that which was planted which fell on the good soil, the interpretation of that is people who hear the Word of God and they receive it; they obey it and they continue obeying it until the Word of God does great good for them.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for that which fell on the good soil, those are the ones who hear the word of God and store it in their good and made-up minds and they continue to believe until the word has results in their lives.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And this, this which is meant by the good soil which is scattered on, it’s the people who’s nature/ways are good, who truly believe/obey the word of God which they hear. Well since they store it well in their head, and persevere to obey it, that’s why their(emph.) belief/obeying fruits well.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 8:15

Exegesis:

to de en tē kalē gē ‘but that (which is) in good soil.’ Same structure as in v. 14.

houtoi eisin hoitines en kardia kalē kai agathē akousantes ton logon katechousin ‘they are those who, having heard with a good and true heart, keep the word.’ The phrase en kardia kalē kai agathē goes either with akousantes (cf. New English Bible), or with katechousin (cf. Revised Standard Version), preferably the former because of its place immediately before akousantes. en has here instrumental meaning. kalē and agathē may perhaps be interpreted as reinforcing each other and rendered ‘truly good’ (cf. Grundmann).

katechō here ‘to keep,’ of the Gospel message, as in 1 Cor. 11.2; 15.2; cf. Heb. 10.23.

karpophorousin en hupomonē ‘they bear fruit with patience.’ karpophoreō.

hupomonē ‘patience,’ ‘perseverance,’ ‘constancy,’ especially in trial and tribulation (cf. 21.19). en hupomonē refers to the attitude of him who bears fruit.

Translation:

Hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, preferably, ‘hear the word in an honest … heart, and hold it fast.’ The prepositional phrase gives to the hearing a deeper meaning, indicating the heart as the means for considering and assimilating what is heard. To hold fast, i.e. to retain faithfully, to keep and obey. Honest and good, a pair of closely synonymous adjectives; hence, ‘truly/really/very good,’ cf. also “in the true goodness of their hearts” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation).

Bring forth fruit, or, ‘bear fruit,’ or non-metaphorically, ‘produce results.’

With patience, or, “by their perseverance” (New English Bible), ‘because they have held through’ (Sranan Tongo), and with a further shift, “persist until they bear fruit” (Good News Translation). Patience in the sense of ‘perseverance,’ ‘steadfastness’ has been rendered, ‘firmness/toughness of heart’ (Bahasa Indonesia RC, Tae’), or by an expression built on ‘brave’ (Marathi).

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.