complete verse (Matthew 5:40)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:40:

  • Uma: “If there is someone who accuses/complains about us (incl.) to the judge and asks for our (incl.) shirt, just give him our (incl.) sarong too.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If a person informs against you/accuses you in order to get your shirt give him also your skirt (õs).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If someone collects a debt from us and he takes off our undershirt because that’s the thing that he wants, let’s give him also our shirt.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If also someone files-charges-against you (sing.) to take your (sing.) clothes, permit that he also take your (sing.) outer clothes.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And if someone makes-a-complaint about you and wants to take your shirt as a fine, it would be good if you also give your cloak in the fine.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If you owe something to someone and he accuses you, (at court), asking for your shirt, then give him your coat as well.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 5:38-42)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 5:38-42:

You know the Bible teaches revenge: “Eye for eye … tooth for tooth!”
But I tell you not to even think about getting even!
       If slapped on one cheek, offer the other.
       If sued for your shirt, offer your coat as well.
       If oppressed, offer to do more than is required.
       If asked for a loan, offer whatever you have.

Translation commentary on Matthew 5:40

Most all modern translations take this verse in the context of a lawsuit, though the restructuring is in each case somewhat different. For example, New English Bible has “If a man wants to sue you for your shirt,” and New International Version “and if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic.” Jerusalem Bible renders “if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic,” and New American Bible “If anyone wants to go to law over your shirt.”

For would sue you, translations can have “takes you to court,” as in Good News Translation, “wants to take you before the judge,” or “goes before the judge to ask the judge to give him your coat.”

He takes you to court to take your coat, that is, “to make you give him your coat,” “so that the judge makes you give him your coat.”

The words rendered coat and cloak require comment, since they reflect a unique aspect of Israelite Law. The outer garment (cloak) was both an article of clothing and a covering for the night. Israelite law did not permit it to be kept from its owner overnight; therefore the legal adversary was actually after the man’s coat, a garment worn under the outer cloak. In Luke 6.29 the two garments are mentioned in reverse order. There, however, the context is not that of a lawsuit, but of a robbery in which one man forcibly tears away another’s outer garment. The coat was a long, close-fitting garment worn next to the skin; it was used by both sexes.

Coat will be difficult for some translators, because it is distinguished from the outer garment or cloak. If there are terms that distinguish from the outer garment, they can usually be used, much as Good News Translation has used “shirt” and “coat.” Otherwise, translators will look for general or descriptive phrases such as “the clothing you wear under your outer wrap (or, near your body)” and “the clothing that covers the outer clothing.”

However, to help readers realize the difference in value of the two garments, something Jesus’ hearers would have understood immediately, translators may prefer to say “your garment that is of little value” and “your outer garment that is more valuable.”

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 .