VersePhraseExplanation
Mat 3:12winnowing forkThis is a tool for tossing wheat up into the air to separate the wheat grain from the chaff. The heavier grain falls back down and the unwanted chaff is blown away by the wind. It is similar in shape to a pitchfork but with wide tines made of wood.
Mat 6:28liliesA lily is a kind of wild flower.
Mat 8:20FoxesFoxes are animals like dogs. They eat nesting birds and other small animals. If foxes are unknown in your area, use a general term for dog-like creatures or other furry animals.
Mat 9:17new wineThis refers to wine that has not fermented yet. If grapes are unknown in your area, use the general term for fruit. Alternate Translation: "grape juice"
Mat 10:29sparrowsThese are very small, seed-eating birds. Alternate Translation: "small birds"
Mat 12:1grainfieldsa place to plant grain. If wheat is unknown and "grain" is too general, then you can use "fields of the plant they made bread from."
Mat 13:2a boatThis was probably an open, wooden fishing boat with a sail.
Mat 13:31mustard seeda very small seed that grows into a large plant
Mat 13:45valuable pearlsA "pearl" is a smooth, hard, shiny, white or light-colored bead formed inside mollusks in the sea and highly prized as a gem or to make into valuable jewelry. Alternate Translation: "fine pearls" or "beautiful pearls"
Mat 23:23mint and dill and cuminThese are various leaves and seeds people used to make food taste good.
Mat 23:37hena female chicken. You can translate with any bird that protects her children under her wing.
Mat 26:7alabaster jarThis is a costly container made of soft stone.
Mrk 14:3alabaster jarThis is a jar made from alabaster. Alabaster was a very expensive yellow-white stone. Alternate Translation: "beautiful white stone jar"
Mrk 14:3of very costly liquid, which was pure nardthat contained expensive, fragrant perfume called nard. Nard was a very expensive, sweet-smelling oil used to make perfume.
Luk 11:12scorpionA scorpion is similar to a spider, but it has a tail with a poisonous sting. If scorpions are not known where you are, you could translate this as "poisonous spider" or "spider that stings"
Luk 11:42mint and rueThese are herbs. People put just a little bit of these leaves into their food to give it flavor. If people do not know what mint and rue are, you can use the name of herbs they know or a general expression such as "herbs."
Luk 12:27liliesLilies are beautiful flowers that grow wild in the fields. If your language does not have a word for lily, you can use the name of another flower like that or translate it as "flowers"
Luk 13:19a mustard seedA mustard seed is a very small seed that grows into a large plant. If this seed is not known, the phrase can be translated with the name of another seed like it or simply as "a small seed."
Luk 15:16carob podsThese are the husks of beans that grow on the carob tree. Alternate Translation: "carob bean pods" or "bean husks"
Luk 17:6mulberry treeIf this type of tree is not familiar, it may be helpful to substitute another type of tree. Alternate Translation: "fig tree" or "tree"
Luk 17:37vulturesVultures are large birds that fly together and eat the flesh of dead animals that they find. You could describe these birds this way or use the word for local birds that do this.
Luk 22:47to kiss himto greet him with a kiss or "to greet him by kissing him." When men greeted other men who were family or friends, they would kiss them on one cheek or both cheeks. If your readers would find it embarrassing to say that a man would kiss another man, you could translate it in a more general way: "to give him a friendly greeting."
Jhn 12:3nardThis is a perfume made from a pink, bell-shaped flower in the mountains of Nepal, China, and India.
Act 19:38proconsulsthe Roman governor's representatives who made legal decisions in court
Rom 8:15Abba, FatherAbba is "Father" in the Aramaic language.
1Co 13:1gonga large, thin, round metal plate that is hit with a padded stick to make a loud sound
1Co 13:1a clanging cymbaltwo thin, round metal plates that are hit together to make a loud sound
1Ti 2:9pearlsThese are beautiful and valuable white balls that people use as jewelry. They are formed inside the shell of a certain kind of small animal that lives in the ocean.
1Ti 5:18muzzlea sleeve that goes over an animal's snout and mouth to prevent it from eating while it is doing work
Jas 3:7reptileThis is an animal that crawls on the ground.
Rev 4:3jasper and carnelianvaluable stones. Jasper may have been clear like glass or crystal, and carnelian may have been red.
Rev 4:3emeralda green, valuable stone
Rev 8:11The name of the star is WormwoodWormwood is a shrub that tastes bitter. People made medicine out of it, but they also believed that it was poisonous. Alternate Translation: "The name of the star is Bitterness" or "The name of the star is Bitter Medicine"
Rev 9:3locustsinsects that fly together in large groups. People fear them because they can eat up all the leaves in gardens and on trees.
Rev 9:3scorpionssmall insects with poisonous stingers on their tails. Their sting is extremely painful and the pain lasts a long time.
Rev 11:3days, clothed in sackclothWhy they will wear sackcloth can be made explicit. Alternate Translation: "days, wearing rough mourning clothes" or "days: they will wear scratchy clothes to show that they are very sad"
Rev 14:14sicklea tool with a curved blade used for cutting grass, grain, and vines
Rev 17:4pearlsbeautiful and valuable white beads. They are formed inside the shell of a certain kind of small animal that lives in the ocean.
Rev 17:12for one hourIf your language does not divide the day into 24 hours, you may need to use a more general expression. Alternate Translation: "for a very short time" or "for a very small part of a day"
Rev 18:12purple, silk, scarletPurple is a very dark red cloth that is very expensive. Silk is a soft, strong cloth made from the fine string that silkworms make when they make their cocoons. Scarlet is an expensive red cloth.
Rev 18:12ivorya beautiful hard, white material that people get from the tusks or teeth of very large animals such as elephants or walruses. Alternate Translation: "tusks" or "valuable animal teeth"
Rev 18:12marblea precious stone used for building
Rev 18:16pearlsbeautiful and valuable white beads. They are formed inside the shell of a certain kind of small animal that lives in the ocean. See how you translated this in [Revelation 17:4](../17/04.md).
Rev 21:11jasperThis is a valuable stone. Jasper may have been clear like glass or crystal. See how you translated this in [Revelation 4:3](../04/03.md).
Rev 21:18jasper ... emerald ... carnelianThese are valuable stones. Jasper may have been clear like glass or crystal, and carnelian may have been red. Emeralds are green. See how you translated these in [Revelation 4:3](../04/03.md).
Rev 21:19jasper ... emerald ... carnelianThese are valuable stones. Jasper may have been clear like glass or crystal, and carnelian may have been red. Emeralds are green. See how you translated these in [Revelation 4:3](../04/03.md).
Rev 21:19sapphire ... agate ... onyx ... chrysolite ... beryl ... topaz ... chrysoprase ... jacinth ... amethystThese are all precious gems.
Rev 21:20jasper ... emerald ... carnelianThese are valuable stones. Jasper may have been clear like glass or crystal, and carnelian may have been red. Emeralds are green. See how you translated these in [Revelation 4:3](../04/03.md).
Rev 21:20sapphire ... agate ... onyx ... chrysolite ... beryl ... topaz ... chrysoprase ... jacinth ... amethystThese are all precious gems.
Rev 21:21pearlsbeautiful and valuable white beads. They are formed inside the shell of a certain kind of small animal that lives in the ocean. See how you translated this in [Revelation 17:4](../17/04.md).