inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Matt. 27:63)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding Pilate).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Matthew 27:63)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 27:63:

  • Uma: “they said: ‘Governor sir, we remember the words of that deceiver [out of sight yesterday] while he was still alive, he said: ‘After three days I will live again.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They said, ‘Sir, we remember that that liar said when he was living, that when he died, after three days he would live again.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and they said to him, ‘chief, we remember that that lying person said while he was still alive that if he died he would be raised from the dead within three days.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and they said, ‘Sir, we (excl.) remembered that when that lying person was still alive, he said he would come-to-life again when three days go-by.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “On arrival they said, ‘Excuse us, respects to you, we (excl.) have remembered that that one-making-false-claims said while still alive that he would indeed be made alive again on the third day.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They said: ‘Listen, ruler, when that liar who died spoke, he said that when three days had passed after he died then he would resurrect from where he was buried.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Matthew 27:63

Sir represents the same Greek word rendered “Lord” when used of Jesus, though it may also be used in a purely honorific sense, as it is here. Matthew may have intentionally chosen this word in order to contrast Jesus, the true Lord (see 28.18), with Pilate.

Imposter (so most modern English translations) derives in Greek from the same stem as does the noun “fraud” in verse 64; Good News Translation shows the relationship between the two words by translating “liar … lie” in the two passages. New International Version here retains “deceiver” of the King James Version tradition. The accusation that Jesus was an imposter is also reflected in another early Christian source: “a godless and lawless sect was begun by Jesus a Galilean imposter [the same Greek word used here]. We crucified him, but during the night his disciples stole his body from the grave … and so they are deceiving people” (Justin, k Dialogues Against Tryphok*, 108).

I will rise again may also be translated “I will rise again to life,” “I will be raised to life again,” or “God will raise me to life again” (see comment at 16.21).

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 .