hell

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The Greek that is translated in English versions as “hell” (or “Gehenna”) is translated (1) by borrowing a term from a trade or national language (this is done in a number of Indian languages in Latin America, which have borrowed Spanish “infierno” — from Latin “infernus”: “of the lower regions”), (2) by using an expression denoting judgment or punishment, e.g. “place of punishment” (Loma), “place of suffering” (Highland Totonac, San Blas Kuna) and (3) by describing a significant characteristic: (a) the presence of fire or burning, e.g. “place of fire” (Kipsigis, Mossi), “the large bonfire” (Shipibo-Conibo), or (b) the traditionally presumed location, e.g. “the lowest place” (a well-known term in Ngäbere), “the place inside” long used to designate hell, as a place inside the earth (Aymara). (Source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)

In Noongar it is translated as Djinbaminyap or “Punishing place” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang) and in Tagbanwa as “the fire which had no dying down” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

The Mandarin Chinese dìyù (地獄 / 地狱), literally “(under) earth prison,” is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32)

anger

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “anger” in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied).”

  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
  • Mende: “have a cut heart”
  • Mískito: “have a split heart”
  • Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
  • Mossi: “a swollen heart”
  • Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
  • San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
  • Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
  • Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)

See also God’s anger.

council

The Greek that is translated as “council” or “Council” in English is (back-) translated in a variety of ways:

brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” (in the sense of a fellow believer), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

See also brothers.

complete verse (Matthew 5:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:22:

  • Uma: “But I say: whoever gets angry at someone, definitely his case will be sat/heard. Whoever curses his companion, he will definitely be carried to the big judged. And whoever calls-a fool/stupid his companion, it is very fitting that he be thrown into the fire of hell.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But I, I say: whoever is angry towards his companion shall be judged, and whoever says to his companion, ‘You are stupid (slow minded)!’ shall be brought to the judge (next higher instance) and whoever says to his companion, ‘You are really stupid/wicked, you are of no use!’ he is in danger of being judged of being put in the fire of hell.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And I tell you also that he who is only angry with his companion, God will also sentence him, and he who insults his companion saying, ‘You are a worthless person,’ he will be brought to trial. And he who insults his companion saying, ‘You are a stupid worthless person,’ he will be worthy of being taken to the fire of hell.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But I say to you that even the one who becomes-angry-with his companion will be judged and sentenced to be punished. The person also who shames his companion saying, ‘You (sing.) are useless,’ will have charges-filed-against-him before the leaders. And the person also who says to his companion, ‘You (sing.) are foolish,’ is going to the fire in hell.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But now/today I am the one saying to you that even if you (sing.) just get angry with your companion, it’s certain that you will answer for it to the Judge. For if you (sing.) are insolent, it’s acceptable/possible that you be sentenced by the tribal-judge. If you say to your companion, ‘You are crazy!’ it’s acceptable/possible that you be put there in the fire that never dies down, which is God’s punishment.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But I tell you that the person who hates his brother must be judged. The person who speaks evil words to his brother must have the judges gather to judge his case. He who says that his brother is a fool will go to hell where it burns.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Matthew 5:22

But I say to you is best understood as a contrast to the last clause of verse 21 (“whoever kills shall be liable to judgment”) rather than to the entire command. What is significant and unprecedented is the phrase But I say, in which I stands in an emphatic position, thus placing the authority of Jesus parallel with the hidden name of God in the phrase “it was said to the men of old.”

Good News Translation has shown this emphasis on the first person I with “now” in the phrase “But now I tell you.” Translators can also say “But what I tell you is….”

As the RSV footnote indicates, every one who is angry is found in some manuscripts in the expanded form “… angry without cause.” The UBS Greek text reflects the opinion that “without cause” was added by scribes in order to soften Jesus’ remark (so TC-GNT). Apparently none of the modern standard translations include it in their text, though several of them provide a footnote, indicating the alternative possibility (for example, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New English Bible).

Every one can be “any person who” or “whoever.”

The frequent usage of brother throughout this passage in particular and throughout the Sermon as a whole suggests that the ethical concern is not about general rules for human behavior; in this context the concern may be for disciples in their relations to one another. Certainly, the use of brother for people not physically related was distinctively Christian.

Many languages use brother to mean a close friend, associate, or fellow member of some group. In these cases “brother” will be understood correctly. In languages where the word is understood only to refer to a blood brother, or where it means one’s fellow men in general, then a better translation may be “fellow disciple” or “fellow believer” (but not “fellow Christian”!).

Shall be liable to judgment translates the same expression used in verse 21 (see comments there). Several scholars affirm without hesitation that in each instance the reference is to God’s final judgment, “for carrying out a death sentence according to the Law of Moses is the same as executing God’s final judgment. The Pentateuch did not think in terms of a judgment after death, and God’s judgment can only be performed in this world.” The confusion arose “when the continuation was added with its mention of the Council (the Sanhedrin or supreme judicial body in Palestine),” at which time the meaning of the first judgment was restricted to that of the local authority.

Some scholars see an ascending scale of sins: anger, the accusation “Raca,” and the accusation “you fool.” However, it is difficult to see how judgment can refer to human courts, since human courts judge a person according to one’s deeds, not one’s attitude. Although this conclusion may nullify the possibility of discovering here a neatly marked-out ascending scale of sins and their corresponding punishments, it does seem to be the most valid interpretation in light of what the text itself says.

For these reasons, then, judgment here should probably be translated “be brought before God for judgment,” “God will judge him,” or “will be a person to come before God and be judged.”

Insults: the term Raca (see RSV footnote) is generally assumed to be of Aramaic origin, with the root meaning “empty.” Several scholars indicate that it may have meant something like “good-for-nothing” (so Good News Translation) or “fool.” Some translations have followed the Revised Standard Version fairly closely when translating insults, and said “whoever says insults (or, bad things) to his brother” or “whoever calls his brother bad names.” Others have chosen to use direct speech as Good News Translation does, and say something like “whoever calls his brother, ‘You worthless person’ or ‘You no-good.’ ” This can also be in indirect speech, as in “whoever calls his brother a worthless person (or, a no-good).” Most languages have an insulting expression from their language which they can use. The important consideration is to be sure a term with a strong emotive force is used.

The council was the supreme judicial body of the Jews. In cultures where it is the elders who judge violations of tradition or religion, this can be translated as “the elders of the Jews” or “the Council of our elders.” Other translations may say “the highest court of our people” or “the most senior judges in our land.” Thus be liable to the council means “will be taken to be judged by the council” or “they will carry that person before our senior elders so they can judge him.”

Fool (Good News Translation “worthless fool”), in addition to the usual meaning of “senseless,” would probably have suggested “religious impiety” as well. Several scholars interpret it to mean “one who rebels against God.” Fool is used in the Old Testament primarily of the godless (Psa 14.1; 94.8; Isa 32.6; Deut 32.6; Jer 5.21).

In translation, both “Raca” and fool should be given the component of “foolishness,” with the second term somewhat stronger, possibly implying impiety as well. Elsewhere in the Gospel of Matthew, the word is used in 7.26; 23.17, 19; 25.2, 3, 8. No other Gospel writer uses it, though it is found four times in 1 Corinthians (1.25, 27; 3.18; 4.10), and once each in 2 Timothy (2.23) and Titus (3.9). Fool has sometimes been translated as “godless,” “you don’t know God at all,” or “you are a wicked fool.”

The hell of fire (Good News Translation “the fire of hell”) is literally “the Gehenna of fire” (see RSV footnote). Gehenna was the name of a valley southwest of Jerusalem, where human sacrifices had once been offered and where garbage from the city was constantly burning. Later this picture was combined with the idea of God’s judgment, and so the notion of a fiery hell developed. Most commentators assume that the reference is to hell, and a number of translations make this information explicit. However, some few interpreters dogmatically deny that Gehenna was equated with hell in New Testament times. Therefore Anchor Bible has “merits a fiery death.” See comments on “hell” in verse 29.

The person who is liable to the hell of fire can be said to be a person “who will be sent to hell (or, the fires of hell).”

Hell is sometimes an unknown concept. There are contexts where “the place of the dead” is a good translation, but not here. “The place of torture (or, punishment)” would be better, or possibly “the place of torture of the dead.” Here, then, translations can have “the place of fiery punishment.”

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 .