Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:29:
- Uma: “How is it, relatives, if it is really true that dead people won’t live again, why are there people who are baptized to take-the-place of their companions who are dead? If the dead really don’t live again, why do they do that custom of theirs?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Na, if the dead are not made alive again, what is the meaning of the custom of some people causing/asking to be bathed they say instead of the dead. If God does not make alive again those dead people, why do they still follow this custom?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Not only that, but when the dead are raised, what will be the value of that activity of people who are baptized in place of their companions who have already died? Why are they baptized if God does not raise dead people?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Let’s consider again the living again of the dead. If it’s not true that they will live again, why perhaps are there those who get-baptized for the dead? What perhaps do they think is the use of it?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, I will now return to this living again of the dead. Even those among you who have themselves baptized substituting themselves they-say for those who are now dead, they are sure that the day will come when those they are substituting for will be made to live again. Of course if that’s not what they think, why would they do like that?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “There is another word I want to tell you. There are some people who are baptized again to do in place of dead people who were not baptized before they died. Now if these people say that the dead people do not resurrect, how come these people get baptized then so as to make it like those dead people were baptized?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)