4:20a

Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil: The Greek text here is literally “those are the ones upon the good soil, being sown.” For example, the New Revised Standard Version says:

And these are the ones sown on the good soil

The words “those are the ones” (New Revised Standard Version) introduce the fourth group of people. These people are compared to the good soil on which the sower has sown/planted seed.

Here are some other ways to translate this comparison:

Sometimes the word/teaching falls on good soil. This is like what happens when some people…
-or-
Lastly, other people are like good soil where the word/seed was sown.

good soil: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as good in this context refers to the kind of soil in which plants grow well. Refer to your translation of 4:8a, where the same term is used.

4:20b

receive it: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as receive means to agree that something is correct or right. This word is different from the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “receive” in 4:16b. But the meaning of the two words is the same in this context. You may want to use the same expression here as you did for “receive” in 4:16b.

produce a crop: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as produce a crop indicates here that the seeds produce a harvest. Jesus used this action as a metaphor to describe a person who receives the word of God. That person receives the word of God and shows the good effects of it in his life. That is like the seed that grows and produces a crop.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• Keep the metaphor. For example the Good News Bible has:

bear fruit

• Use a simile. For example:

the word has results in their lives like seeds that produce a crop

• Translate the meaning of the metaphor. For example:

the word has good results in their lives

4:20c

thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold: The Greek text that the Berean Standard Bible translates as thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or hundredfold is the same here as in 4:8c.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• Keep the metaphor. Translate it in a similar way here as in 4:8c.

• Use a simile and make explicit the meaning of the numbers of seeds. For example:

and there are many good results in their lives, like plants bearing thirty seeds, sixty seeds, or even a hundred times what was sown

• Translate the meaning of the metaphor. For example:

Some have many results, some have even more results and some have amazing/outstanding results.

thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold: The numeric expressions thirtyfold, sixtyfold and a hundredfold are examples of a very good harvest, a great harvest, and an incredible or unbelievable harvest. You should translate this phrase like you did in 4:8c.

The New International Version adds the words “what was sown,” which are not in the Greek text but are implied. Other versions have left these words implied, as the Berean Standard Bible has. Likewise, the Good News Bible says:

They hear the message, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.

You will need to decide whether to make these words explicit or implicit in your language. Do whatever will make your translation clear and natural.

© 2008 by SIL International®

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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