The Greek that is translated in English as “Sovereign Lord” is translated as “you who are Chief, you own all of us, truly you are God” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, as “Big Father, you are God” in Isthmus Mixe, as “my Lord who is the greatest” in Lalana Chinantec, as “our Lord, he who is greatest before us” in Ayutla Mixtec, as “you, Lord God, who is very great” in Tepeuxila Cuicatec, as “you, the Lord able to do all things” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac, or “God our Father, you are our Boss, the biggest” Tataltepec Chatino. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
cornerstone
Bawm build with bamboo and thatch in their mountainous forests. They made the apostles and prophets become the roof ridge pole and Jesus the central uprights which support it. I asked why not the corner uprights since Greek has a term that is translated in English as ‘cornerstone.’ Bawm translators responded that the central uprights are more important than the corner ones, and Greek refers to the most important stone. (“Corner uprights” used in 1Tim 3:15.) (Source: David Clark)
In Mono, translators used “main post,” in Martu Wangka “two forked sticks with another long strong stick laid across” (see also 1 Peter 2:6-7.), and in Arrernte, the translation in 1Pet 2:7 (in English translation: “the stone . . . became the very cornerstone”) was rendered as “the foundation… continues to be the right foundation.” (Source for this and two above: Carl Gross)
Likewise, in Uripiv it also is the “post” (source: Ross McKerras) as well as in Sabaot (source Jim Leonhard in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 50)
In Ixcatlán Mazatec it is translated with a term denoting the “the principal part of the ‘house’ (or work)” (Source: Robert Bascom), in Enlhet as “like the house-root” (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. ), in Q’anjob’al it is translated with with the existing idiom “ear of the house.” (Source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. ), in Desano as “main support of the house,” and in Tataltepec Chatino as “the best stone” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).
Shuar translates as “that stone was placed to the main house pole.” The Shuar use stones in house building either at the bottom of the posthole as a base for the house pole to rest on, or as chocking material around the post to hold it firm. Either function is acceptable here particularly as applied to the main house-pole. In Ocotlán Zapotec it is “master stone of the house.” This is a special stone they put into the foundation as sort of a guide stone of how the foundation is to true up. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
See also rock / stone, foundation on rock, and foundation.
become one flesh
The Greek and Hebrew that is often translated into English as “(the two) shall become one flesh” is translated as “become just one” in Copainalá Zoque and San Mateo del Mar Huave or with existing idiomatic equivalents such as “become one blood” in Mitla Zapotec, “become the complement of each other’s spirit” in Tzeltal (source for this and above Bratcher / Nida), “become one body” in Uab Meto (source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 208ff. ), or “tie with wife as one, so that they tie one insides” in Luang (source: Kathy and Mark Taber in Kroneman [2004], p. 539).
In Tataltepec Chatino it is translated as “the two shall accompany each other so that they no longer seem two but are like one person,” in Choapan Zapotec as “when the man and woman live together in front of God, it is as if just one person,” and in Mezquital Otomi as “they aren’t two, it is as though they are one.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
See also I am your bone and flesh.
complete verse (John 3:5)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:5:
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “. . . God cannot rule in the heart of a person if he has not been born another time.”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “The one who gives new life consists of water and of the Holy Spirit by the power of the Holy Spirit, he cannot go into where God reigns.”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: ” . . . He who doesn’t receive water again, and he who isn’t born again by the power of the Holy Spirit, he cannot go into where God reigns.”
- Tataltepec Chatino: “Jesus said, ‘It is true what I tell you. It is necessary that a person be baptized with water and the Holy Spirit give him a new life. Then that person will be in God’s hand.” (John 3:6 included) (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “Yesus said: ‘These my words are very true: If a person is not born with water and with the power of the Spirit of God, he will not become a person of God in his Kingdom.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Isa answered, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, if a person is not born from water and from the Spirit of God, he cannot enter the ruling/kingdom of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said again, ‘It is true what I say to you that a person can be included among the people whom God rules over only if he is born by means of water and by means of the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘This that I tell you (sing.) is true,’ answered Jesus. ‘If a person is not born by/with water and by/with the Holy Spirit, he can not join/belong-to the ruling of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, ‘This is the truth which I say to you. No one can be included in the kingdom of God unless he has been given birth to through/by water and the Espiritu Santo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said, ‘It is true what I tell you. It is necessary that a person be baptized with water and that the Holy Spirit give him a new life. Then that person will be in God’s hand.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
complete verse (Acts 3:20)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 3:20:
- Uma: “So relatives, repent from your sins and submit to the Lord God, so that he may forgive your sins. From there, the Lord God will strengthen your hearts and he will order Yesus to come to us. Because he is the one whom God decided upon from-the-start to become our Redeemer King.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then times of encouraging your livers will be coming/arriving from God, and he will send back into the world Isa, he is Almasi the one chosen to rule over you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he will send here to us Jesus, who is the one he chose to rule over us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because if you do that, God will cause-to-arrive a time of calming and strengthening of the mind/thoughts, and furthermore he will again send Jesus the Messiah whom he appointed previously to rule over us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Provided you will do this, God will give you far-from-ordinary happiness and peace/protection of your mind/inner-being. And also, the day will come when he will again cause Jesu-Cristo to descend, that Savior whom God ordained to reign over us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Chuj: “God will send again Jesus the second time because God has given remaining Christ’s office to be your savior.
- Teutila Cuicatec: “Then he will send again Jesus, the one who is Christ, who was set apart for you since former times.
- Morelos Nahuatl: “Then God will send Jesus Christ again. God chose him in order to save you from your sins.”
- Rincón Zapotec: “God will send again Jesus, the Christ whom he designated since before to be your ruler.”
- Tataltepec Chatino: “Then God will give orders to Jesus to come back again, Jesus whom God chose to be your boss.” (Source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
complete verse (Acts 3:23)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 3:23:
- Uma: “Whoever does not follow what that prophet says, he will not be counted as one of God’s people, he must be killed.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whoever will not listen to that prophet, he will be separated from among the people who belong to God and he will perish.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he who does not obey him, the one inspired by God, he will be removed and will not be included among the people whom God indwells,’ said Moses long ago.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Whoever does not believe/obey will be separated from God’s people to be punished forever.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For whoever won’t follow/obey this prophet, the punishment of him will be really heavy, for he will be removed from the people of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Lalana Chinantec: “‘God will cause to perish all the people that will not listen to his words. They will no longer be with the people of God.’ That’s what Moses said back then.”
- Morelos Nahuatl: “Whoever does not obey that prophet God will wipe him out from among his people.”
- Tataltepec Chatino: “If there is one person who does not want to hear his word, God will forget that person (refers to God’s final judgment).” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
complete verse (Acts 4:7)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:7:
- Uma: “[When] they were all there, they commanded for Petrus and Yohanes to be carried here in front of them. When they arrived there, those judges [sitters] asked, asking Petrus and Yohanes, they said: ‘From where is your power to heal that lame person? Who gave you that power?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then they commanded Petros and Yahiya to be brought to them. They questioned them, they said, ‘How did you do that? What power or whose name did you (pl.) use?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they brought before them Peter and John, and they asked them, ‘What is this power that was used to heal this person who couldn’t walk? And who gave you this power?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “They had-Pedro and Juan -stand before them, and they investigated them saying, ‘Where did your power to heal this lame-one come from? Whose name did you use?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “When they had gathered, they caused those two apostles to stand in their presence and then questioned them. They said, ‘What is this knowledge/acquired-skill by which you were able to make well that lame person? Who gave you this skill?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Teutila Cuicatec: “Then they ordered Peter and John to be brought and placed before them. They asked them, ‘what authority do you have? Who commanded you to do these different things?'”
Tataltepec Chatino: “They went to get out Peter and John to judge them before the authorities. Those elders asked them: ‘How did you cure this lame man?’ they said. ‘Who gave you permission to cure?'” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
complete verse (Acts 4:13)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:13:
- Uma: “Those judges were surprised to hear Petrus and Yohanes speak without any uneasiness. For Petrus and Yohanes, they were just ordinary people who were not highly schooled. And they recognized them, that they ones that followed Yesus previously [lit., yesterday].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then the councilors were greatly amazed when they saw that Petros and Yahiya spoke boldly, and-what’s-more/yet they were men of little (lit. short) education/study and of low social standing. So-then they remembered that these had been companions of Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when those leaders of the Jews there, when they saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak and when they knew that they were not highly educated, and they were not high in rank, they were very amazed. And then they recognized that Peter and John were companions long ago of Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “When the leaders of the Jews saw the boldness of Pedro and Juan in answering, they were surprised, because they knew that they were low-status people who were not educated. Then they remembered that they had-been-going-in-a-group-with Jesus,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “When those leaders of the Jews observed that the speech of Pedro and Juan wasn’t halting, they were amazed, knowing too that as for those two, they hadn’t had schooling, being yet low-class. And they recognized too that as for those two, they had been companions of Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Desano: “Hearing the answer of Peter and John, the authorities said, ‘where did they get their boldness?’ They knew them that they had very little knowledge of paper and knew that they were people without prestige. ‘They were with Jesus, and maybe that’s why they know,’ they were saying.”
- Tataltepec Chatino: “They heard the word Peter said, and they looked at Peter and John. ‘Why aren’t they afraid, speaking to us?’ they said. ‘Not great people are they, not people who know paper.’ Then those elders realized that they had been walking with Jesus.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).