complete verse (Matthew 24:48)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 24:48:

  • Uma: “‘But if that slave has an evil character, he’ll say in his heart: ‘The noble isn’t coming back quickly.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But if for example that servant is bad, and he says in his liver that his master will not come for a long time” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But pity him if what is in his mind is that it will be a long time yet before his master comes home.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if for-example that servant is evil, he will-say in his mind/thoughts, ‘My master’s return will probably still be a long-time-away.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But supposing the ways/nature of that slave is evil, what will be in his mind is, ‘Probably the return of my master won’t be for a long time yet.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But the worker who is bad will say in his heart that his boss won’t return soon.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 24:48

Wicked in the Greek is also used in 21.41 (see comments and translation there) and 27.23 (“evil”), but nowhere else in the Gospel. There is a slight translation problem here because the previous verses have been describing a good servant, and now the phrase that wicked servant seems to refer to the same person. Good News Translation has “But if he is a bad servant,” and Barclay has “But, if a bad servant says to himself.”

To himself is literally “in his heart.” However, in biblical psychology the “heart” is primarily the place of thought rather than of emotion, though sometimes it may also denote the entire person. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “But if he is untrustworthy and tells himself….”

My master is delayed, as Revised Standard Version indicates, represents direct discourse of the Greek text. Good News Translation shifts to indirect: “that his master will not come back for a long time.”

Delayed translates a verb which may mean either “stay away for a long time” or “take a long time in doing something.” Is delayed implies that circumstances had come about which had caused the man to stay longer than he had originally intended, but this is not necessarily the meaning of the Greek text. Barclay seems to be more accurate: “I need not expect my master for a long time yet.”

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 .