inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Matt. 25:38)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the Lord).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Matthew 25:38)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 25:38:

  • Uma: “When did you (sing.) pass by our house and we had-you (sing.)-stop-in? When did we see you (sing.) didn’t have any clothes and we gave you (sing.) clothes?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When did we see you as a stranger and treated-you-according-to-custom? When did you have no clothes and we gave to you?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When did we receive you into our house and we did not recognize you? When did you need clothing and we gave it to you?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When also did we (sing.) show-you (sing.) -hospitality and give you (sing.) clothes?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When is it you were like a stranger and we welcomed you, or you were without-clothes and we clothed you?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When did we see that you were a stranger and we gave you a resting place? When did we see that you didn’t have clothing to wear and we gave you clothes to wear?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 25:38

Or naked and clothe thee? may also require a full statement: “When did we ever see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear?”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .