11:35

Be careful: The command Be careful functions as a warning. Some other ways to translate this warning are:

See to it (New International Version)
-or-
Make certain (Good News Translation)

then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then introduces a command that Jesus made as a logical result of what he had just said. It is not a time word. Other ways to translate this word are:

Therefore (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
So (New Century Version)

that the light within you is not darkness: There are at least two translation issues in this clause:

Issue 1—Implied Information

This clause is an apparent contradiction, since light cannot be darkness. The implied meaning is probably “that ⌊what you think is⌋ the light within you is not ⌊actually⌋ darkness.” In some languages it may be necessary to make this implied information explicit. For example:

that ⌊what you consider to be⌋ inner light is not ⌊really⌋ darkness
-or-
that the light you think you have is not actually darkness (New Living Translation (2004))

Issue 2—Meaning of the metaphor

This clause contains the metaphors of “light” and “darkness,” but the meaning of the metaphors is not stated explicitly. Here the “light” represents the truth. Jesus was telling the people to be sure that their knowledge or understanding of the truth, especially the truth about himself, was correct. If their understanding was not correct, it was like darkness.

You should try to keep the figures of light and darkness in your translation if possible. One way to do this is to use a simile. For example:

be careful lest you think that you are like a person who has light inside him and understands the truth but actually you are like a person who is dark inside

If it is not possible to keep the figures of light and darkness, one possible way to translate this is:

be careful that what you think is the truth is actually true and not false

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