Following are a number of back-translations of Colossians 1:2:
- Uma: “we (excl.) send it to you our one-faith relatives who are in Kolose, who are the portion of God and who believe in Kristus. Many greetings: we (excl.) call-out to God our Father, we (excl.) request that he bless you from his grace [lit., white insides] and give you goodness of life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (excl.) send this letter there to you God’s people who are there in the place of Kolossa, to you our (excl.) siblings who steadfastly trust Isa Almasi. May our (incl.) Father God always take-care-of you. May he also give you peace in your livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am writing to you, the people who belong to God, there in the town of Colossae, who are faithful to the word of Christ. May our Father God show you kindness and give you a peaceful situation.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Here is our (excl.) letter to you who are God’s people in Colosas who are our (excl.) faithful brothers who are joined to Cristo. May you have mercy/grace/kindness (henceforth mercy/grace) and peace that come-from God our Father.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Our(excl.) siblings in believing there in Colosas, there-(with-you) is our (excl.) letter, I Pablo who am an apostle of Cristo Jesus according to the determined-plan of God, and Timoteo who is also our sibling in believing. I am writing to you who are now united/tied-together with Cristo, you who have now been separated out by God as his people now, who truly believe/obey this Cristo. I am praying that hopefully with you always is the grace/mercy and peace of mind/inner-being which God our Father gives.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “I greet all those who are in God’s hand, those who live in the city of Colossae. You are my brothers who believe in Jesus Christ. I want that God our Father will bless you and put peace in your hearts.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Aguaruna: “I with him writing paper, that I send to you all, you who live in Colossae, you being those who say ‘truly God lives,’ you being those who follow Jesus Christ. May God, our father, being merciful to you give you all peaceful life.” (Source: Larson 1998, p. 149)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:4:
- Uma: “All people who do sins break God’s commands. For this is what is called sin, breaking God’s commands.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whoever sins, breaks God’s law, because if we (dual) sin we (dual) already break God’s law.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If someone sins, he has transgressed the Law of God, for behaviour which is called sin is any kind of behavior which is a transgression of the Law of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Whoever sins, he has broken God’s law, because sin is breaking the law just the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “As for the one who does sin, he is fighting/breaking the laws of God. Because what is meant by sin is, fighting/breaking the laws of this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “All who commit sin break God’s law. Because sin means that one breaks the law.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we (are accustomed to) do evil we do not receive from (obey) the law because the evil we are doing goes contrary to the law.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who does sin, he just disobeys what God says. When we disobey the law of God, it is sin.”
- Tzotzil: “If we seek our sin, we break his commandments. When we break his commandments we sin.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “The one habitually lives bad is oblivious to God’s orders. What is (characteristically) sin? When one throws away God’s orders that is sin.”
- Yanesha’: “All whoever sins, that one disobeys the words which are thus put (by God). If we disobey words which are thus put, that is sin.”
- Aguaruna: “He who works sin, God’s word which is to be obeyed, he doesn’t obey it. A sinner is one who disobeys God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
- Sayula Popoluca: “Whoever sins, he doesn’t obey God’s law. Because when we sin, we don’t obey God’s law.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:12:
- Uma: “There has not yet been one person who has seen God. But even so, if we love one another, God remains in harmony with us, and it is truly evident/knowable in our behavior that we love God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “There is no person who has seen God. But if we (incl.) love each other, God is here in our (incl.) livers. Our (incl.) love to God is also increasing and will finally be complete if we (incl.) steadfastly/continually love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is no person who has even seen God, however, if we love each other, God lives here in us, and our love for God here in our breaths is drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because even though no person has seen God, but if we love-one-another, God remains in us and the love of God that has no lack/fault can be seen in our lives.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “From long ago, no-one has seen God. But if we now really value one another, it’s clear that this God is now really indwelling us, and he has now completed this valuing by us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “No one has seen God. But when we love each other, then we walk with God. And it is true that we love God then.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “There is no one who has seen God. But if we are loving our fellows each of us the other, God is constantly with us and we are loving him as we ought.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “No person has seen God. But if we continually love one another, God resides in our hearts then, and we really love (look well) on God.”
- Tzotzil: “Even if no one has seen God, if we love one another, he is there in our hearts. Thus more we love God really and truly.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “No person has ever seen God. If we love each other then God’s love will be brought up to standard in us. He Himself abides (keeps living) in us.”
- Yanesha’: “Our Father, no one has ever seen him. If we love one another, all of us, we are at one with him. His love fills us completely.”
- Aguaruna: “None (no one) has seen God, but it we love others (one-another) God is (lives) in us. That being so like he loves we love.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:21:
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “They said to him, ‘Who are you then? Are you Elijah, the person who spoke God’s word long ago?’ And he said to them, ‘I am not he.’ Then they said to him again, ‘Are you the person who is to come to speak the Word of God to us?’ And he answered and said to them, ‘Not I.’ “
- Ojitlán Chinantec: ” What then? Are you Elijah: Who are you? Are you the prophet of God called Elijah? I am not: I am not Elijah.”
- Aguaruna: No, I am not Elijah. Are you the prophet: But what are you? Are you the teller of God’s word who will come, that one?”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “Are you that man who will tell God’s words?”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “Are you the prophet of God for whom we are waiting?”
- Isthmus Mixe: “Are you God’s messenger, the one Moses talked about?” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “They asked further: ‘If thus, who are you (sing.)? Are you (sing.) the prophet Elia?’ Yohanes said: ‘No also.’ They asked further: ‘Are you (sing.) perhaps the big prophet who was promised long ago, who they said would come to the world?’ Yohanes said: ‘No also.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “‘Na, who are you?’ they said. ‘Are you Eliyas?’ Yahiya said, ‘No.’ The priests said, ‘Are you the prophet that our (incl.) tribe Isra’il is waiting for/expecting?’ Yahiya answered, he said, ‘No.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they said, ‘Are you the long ago inspired one, Elijah?’ (inspired one-prophet) And John said, ‘I am not also.’ And they said, ‘Perhaps you are that prophesied prophet of God?’ And John said, ‘I am not also.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘Who are you (sing.) then? Are you (sing.) Elias? they said. ‘No,’ he said. ‘Are you (sing.) perhaps the prophet who is coming?’ they inquired again. ‘No,’ he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “‘Well if it’s like that,’ they said, ‘then who are you? Are you not the Prophet Elias?’ ‘Expletive, no,’ said Juan. ‘Well what, are you not the one who is meant by that Prophet?’ ‘Expletive, no. I won’t make-false-claims for myself.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Again they asked him, ‘But who are you then? Are you the prophet Elijah?’ John said, ‘I am not.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:1:
- Uma: “My children, the reason I write this is so we won’t do sins. But if there is someone who commits sin, there is the one who acts-as-middle-man-for us before God the Father. He is Yesus Kristus the upright one.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “My children-grandchildren, I write this to you so that you don’t sin. But if there-is-someone who-does-sin, there is a go-between putting-us (dual)-right/reconciling us (dual) with our (dual) Father God. This go-between is Isa Almasi the straight/righteous one.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you who are like my children, the reason I am writing to you is: so that your faith might be drawn tight and so that you might not sin. However, if there is anyone of us (incl.) who sins, we (incl.) have a datu who helps us before God our Father. Our datu is Jesus Christ who is very righteous.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “You who are my children, I have written this to you so you don’t sin. But if there is one of us who sins, there is (reassurance particle) Jesu Cristo who has absolutely no sin who speaks-with God the Father for us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “You who are like my children, I am writing these things to you so that (emphatic) you no longer do sin. However, sometimes we do indeed happen-to-do-sin, but let us bear-in-mind that there is someone standing up for us there with God the Father. Jesu-Cristo, he being really righteous, he is this one who is standing up for us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, I write you this word here in order that you will not commit sin. But if there be one who has the misfortune to commit sin, there is our spokesman there where the Father is. This one is Jesus Christ and he has no sin.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, these things I write you in order that you will not do evil. But if any of us should do evil, there is a person who speaks in favor of us before our father God, he is Jesus Christ the person who walks straight (is righteous).”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children who are believers, I am writing this paper to you. I’m telling you not to do sin. But if a believer does sin, there is our Helper, who is Jesus Christ, the Good-person, he will speak to the Father about us when we sin.”
- Tzotzil: “My children, I wrote thus to you in order that you not anymore sin. If there are those of you who have sinned, remember that Jesus Christ talks for us (on our behalf) before our Father God. He (Jesus Christ) has a straight heart.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Murui Huitoto: “You are as if you were my own children, therefore I am writing to you lest you do sin.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “In order that you children not live bad, for that purpose I am writing this. However, if we live bad, there is a defender (one whose profession is to defend) for us at the Father’s. His name is Jesus Christ, the straight one.”
- Yanesha’: “My little ones, these things I write to you thus not will you sin. However, if when anyone sins, the one who speaks in the presence of Father for us, there is. That one is Jesus Christ who completely fitting is whatever he does.”
- Aguaruna: “My little children, I write to you. ‘That they not go to sin,’ saying; but when failing you go to sin, there is one who defends (saves through speaking) on your behalf, Jesus Christ, the blameless one. that one. He will defend, on your behalf, to our Father.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:12:
- Uma: “Children, I write to you this letter, because your sins are forgiven because of the Lord Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “I write to you my children-grandchildren, because your sins are already forgiven because of Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I write to you, my children, for your sins have been forgiven because of Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “My children, I have written this to you because your sins have already been forgiven on-account-of Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “I am writing to you who are like my children because your sins have now been forgiven, for Jesus took-the- punishment-for them on the cross.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, I write this word to you here in the letter because God has now forgiven your sins because of Jesus Christ who died on your account.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “I am writing to you my little children because God has already forgiven us. He has forgiven us because Jesus Christ paid for our guilt.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “I’m writing to you, my dear children, because you know your sins have been forgiven, by what Christ did.”
- Tzotzil: “My children, because your sins are forgiven because of Jesus Christ, therefore I am talking to you by letter.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to you children. For God has cleansed your sins because of Jesus, for his sake.”
- Yanesha’: “My little ones, your sins are forgiven because of Christ, that’s why I am writing to you.”
- Aguaruna: “Children, I am writing to you because Jesus has eradicated, on your behalf, your sin.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:15:
- Uma: “All people who hate their relatives, they are the same as killers [emphatic]. And you know, relatives, that murders do not get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whoever hates his fellow-man it is as if he has killed. And you know that a murderer has no everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who acts against his companions, God considers him to be like a murderer; and we (incl.) know that if there is a person who wants to murder, he has not yet come to own life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “For the one who hates his brother/cousin is like the murderer just the same, and we know of course that the murderer, he doesn’t have the life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Because whoever ignores/spurns his sibling in believing, he is the same as a murderer of his fellowman. Isn’t it indeed so that you know already that, whoever is a murderer of his fellowman, he really doesn’t have life which is without ending?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Everyone who hates his brother is like as though he were a murderer. And you know that not one murderer meets up with the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Any of us if we hate our fellows, before God we are like murderers. And we know that no one who is like that has eternal life.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who hates his sibling is a murderer. And you know that there is no murderer who has (possesses) the new life.”
- Tzotzil: “If we hate the brethren, we have already become killers. You know that whoever kills he has not received life forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “One who hates his brother is a murderer (one who kills more than one). Surely you know that in him, that is in a murderer, eternal life does not dwell.”
- Yanesha’: “All these who despise their countrymen, they are killers. You know that those who are killers, in their hearts does not stay life forever.”
- Aguaruna: “He who hates his brother he is like a murderer, and all murderers, they will not live always, that we know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:2:
- Uma: “This is a sign so that we know that we love the people who are God’s children, if we love God and follow his command(s).” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore if we (incl.) love God and follow his commands, we (incl.) also love our (incl.) fellow children of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If our love for God and our obeying His commands is correct, we can know that our love for our companions who are children of God is also correct.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “So if we love God and we obey his commands, that’s how we know that we also love our companions who are God’s children.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “And this is what can enable us to be sure that we value all who have been as-it-were given birth to by God, this (fact) that we hold dear this God and we are obeying everything he commanded.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore if we love God and do what he commands, then we know that we must love the children of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We who are God’s children know that we love our fellows if we love God and do as he commands.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we really love (esteem) God, and do what God commands, then we will know that we really have love toward our siblings.”
- Tzotzil: “If we love God, we obey his commands. Therefore we love also his children that we are equal with (those that are his children along with us.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Surely we know that we love God’s children also for we love God. Don’t we keep that which God ordered?”
- Yanesha’: “If we love our Father, if we obey his word, herein we know that already we love them, our Father’s children.
- Aguaruna: “Therefore we are able to know that we also love the children of God, because we love God and we are obeyers of His word.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
