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Connecting Statement:
Jesus begins to rebuke the religious leaders because of their hypocrisy.
General Information:
Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven as if it were a house, the door into which the Pharisees have shut from the outside so that neither they nor anyone else can enter the house. If you do not keep the metaphor of the house, be sure to change all instances of "shut" and "enter." Also, since the words "kingdom of heaven," which refer to God, who lives in heaven, occur only in Matthew, try to use your language's word for "heaven" in your translation. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
But woe to you
"How terrible it will be for you!" See how you translated this in Matthew 11:21.
You shut the kingdom of heaven against people ... you do not enter it ... neither do you allow those about to enter to do so
Jesus is speaking of the kingdom of heaven, which is God ruling over his people, as if it were a house, the door into which the Pharisees have shut from the outside so that neither they nor anyone else can enter the house. The phrase "kingdom of heaven" is found only in the book of Matthew. If possible, use your language's word for "heaven" in your translation. AT: "You make it impossible for people to enter the kingdom of heaven ... you do not enter it ... neither do you allow those about to enter to do so" or "You prevent people from accepting God, who lives in heaven, as king ... you do not accept him as king ... and you make it impossible for those about to accept him as king to do so" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
you go over sea and land
This is an idiom that means they go to distant places. AT: "you travel great distances" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)
to make one convert
"to make one person accept your religion"
son of hell
Here "son of" is an idiom that means "one belonging to." AT: "person who belongs in hell" or "person who should go to hell" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom)
you devour widows' houses
See the footnote. The word "devour" is a metaphor that means to take by force. Possible meanings are 1) "houses" refers to their houses. AT: "you steal widows' homes from them" or 2) "houses" is synecdoche for all their possessions. AT: "you steal all the possessions of widows" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche)