4:40a
“Why are you so afraid?”: This is a rhetorical question. It functions as a rebuke. Jesus was saying that his disciples should not have been so afraid. Translate this sentence in a way that indicates a rebuke.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
How is it that you are so cowardly?
• As a statement or a command. For example:
Do not be afraid!
-or-
You should not be so timid!
afraid: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as afraid can also be translated as:
cowardly (NET Bible)
-or-
timid
4:40b
“Do you still have no faith?”: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Do you still have no faith? say literally, “Do you still not have faith?” This is a rhetorical question. It is really an expression of surprise and rebuke. Jesus was saying that the disciples should have had faith in him by that time. Translate this sentence in a way which indicates a rebuke. Some ways to translate are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example, the NET Bible says:
Do you still not have faith?
• As a statement. For example:
Surely you are not still without faith!
-or-
By now you should have had faith!
still have no faith: The word faith often means to trust someone, to rely on someone, to believe in someone. In this context the expression still have no faith indicates that the disciples did not yet have a specific type of faith. The text does not make the details explicit. However, the context implies that they did not yet believe that Jesus had the authority and power from God to protect them in every situation. In some languages it may be necessary to translate faith as a verb and make some information explicit. For example:
still do not trust me
-or-
do not yet believe that I will take care of you
See also believe, meaning 3, in the Glossary.
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