"por tratarse de"
This phrase is translated simply as "because" in my English NIV New Testament, but it seems that "for trying to be" would be better.
How is this phrase used normally?
Here's an example from Mateo 10:4i: "Cualquiera que recibe a una profeta por tratarse de una profeta, recibibirá recompensa de profeta; y el que recbibe a un justo por tratarse de un justo, recibira recompensa de justo."
3 Answers
Matthew 10:41 (Today’s New International Version, ©2005)
41 Whoever welcomes someone known to be a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes someone known to be righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward.
Notice the different interpretation of this verse. You cannot make direct comparisons of words por tratarse de=because based on that is how you saw it translated in another interpretation. Interpreters pick the most suitable words that fit into how they have translated the rest of the sentence and previous context.
Notice some of the pronominal definitions of tratarse. I don't think that "trying to be" is the proper definition for this context.
I thought "tratarse de" meant addressing, something like "se tratan de usted", they address each other as "usted". Wouldn't the meaning using "por" in this instance mean something like "by receiving or by acknowledging".
In your example "Cualquiera que recibe a una profeta por tratarse de una profeta" means Anyone who receives a prophet for the sake of being a prophet or simply because she is a prophet...
