Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 2:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:14:

  • Uma: “I write to you my children, because you know our Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know the one who was from the first. I write to you young-men and young-women, because your faith is strong, you take-to-heart God’s Word, you have defeated the evil-one(s).” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I write to you, my children-grandchildren, because you know your Father God. I write to you old people because you know Almasi, he was before the beginning of time. I write to you young men, because you are strong in your liver. The word/message of God is steadfast in your liver and you are not carried-along/influenced by the temptations of the leader of demons.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I write to you older people, is because you are the friends of Christ. He existed before anything was created. The reason I write to you young people is because your faith is strong and because the Word of God cannot be removed from your minds and because you have defeated Satan.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I will please repeat again the reason why I wrote to you. As for you my children, I wrote to you, because you know our Father. You fathers/elders also, because you know him who already-existed since the very-beginning. You young-men also, because you are strong, God’s words are stored in your minds and you have moreover defeated Satanas.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I am writing to you elders/parents because you indeed know him who existed already from long ago when there wasn’t yet any world. I am writing to you young-folk because your believing/obeying is strong. The word of God is remaining with you, and well, you have now been able to have victory over that Epitome of Evil.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the old people, I write this word to you here in the letter because you have come to know him who was living before all the things that exist were made. Concerning the young men, I write this word here in the letter because now you are firm in that you believe God’s word in your hearts. And now you have won against the devil.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “This letter I have written to you parents of children because you are acquainted with Jesus Christ the person who is present since the beginning. Likewise I have written to you young people because you endure not doing (keep from doing) evil. The word of God is constantly in your thoughts, and you have won out over the deceiver.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “I’m writing to you, you men, because you know him who was living when unending time. I’m writing to you, you boys, because you are strong. The Word of God dwells in your hearts and you have overcome the big-evil-one.”
  • Tzotzil: “You who are already old (men), because you have already known Christ whose character is he is, therefore I have written you this.. You who are young men still, because there is already the strength of your hearts therefore I have written to you this. God’s word is in your hearts therefore all the time you conquer the devil.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to you adults. For you learned Him who has always first continuatively existed. I am writing to you young men for you are strong, for God’s Word lives in your hearts and you overcome the evil one.”
  • Yanesha’: “The ones (male) with children, now already you know he is the one who is from the beginning, that’s why I write to you. Young men, you are strong. Our Father his word you embody, you went and surpassed the devil, that’s why I write to you.”
  • Aguaruna: “Big ones (adults), I am writing to you because you are the ones who know him, the one who always lives, ‘He is like that’ saying. Young-men you are strong, and you are those, who complete God’s Word, the devil you are also victorious over, therefore I also write to you.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:17:

  • Uma: “For example there is a person who has the stuff of this world, and he sees his relative lacking something, and he just looks dry at him [i.e., looks and does nothing], certainly that person does not love as God [does].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If there is a person who has his livelihood and sees his fellow-man in need and does not help the need of that fellow-man, that means that he does not love God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is anyone of us (incl.) who has the means to help his companion who is in difficulty, but he does not help him, it is not possible that God is dear in his breath.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if there is a person and he finds-out that he has a brother who lacks what he needs and-meanwhile he doesn’t pity-him/show-him-benevolence, is it indeed the case (RQ implying of course not) that he loves God?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if we just ignore the hard circumstances of our siblings in believing, because even though we have the means, we are hoarding for ourselves what would be used to help them, if it’s like that how can we say we hold God dear?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Suppose a person who owns a lot of things sees that his brother is in need. If he does not pity him so that he gives what is needed, then how ever can he say that he loves God in his heart then?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we have things and we know that our fellow is in need to use them and we do not pity him, we cannot say that we are loving God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But if one has something that he has, but his sibling is lacking necessities, and if he doesn’t do love to him, but the love of God is not in his heart then.”
  • Tzotzil: “If there is what is ours here in the world, if we see that poor him our brother, if we do not pity him even a little, it is in vain we say that we love God.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “If (a person) himself doesn’t lack anything, yet looks on (without acting) while his brother is in need and doesn’t pity him, does God’s love ever dwell in that one? Of course not!”
  • Yanesha’: “However, if we, all kind of things we have here on the earth, if we see our countrymen something needing, we, we do not have pity on him, how does it fill us, our Father, his love, in our hearts?”
  • Aguaruna: “He who possesses things, and does not have mercy on his brother who suffers, ‘I love God,’ saying, for nothing he says it.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:4:

  • Uma: “For all people who are-children of God defeat the power/authority of the evil-one(s) in this world. We have defeated the power/authority of the evil-ones with our faith.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “because whoever is a child of God (lit: are children of God they) he defeats all kinds of temptation in the world. That is what we (incl.) defeat the temptation in the world with, our trust in Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “for, as for us (incl.) who have now become sons of God, we can now defeat Satan who controls here in the earth; and our defeat over him is our faith in Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because whoever is a child of God, he is continually defeating that which is on this earth which is opposed to God. And our means-of-defeating, it is our faith.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because as for each one who has been as-it-were given birth to by God, he is now able to be victorious over the rule/hold over him of evil here in this world/land. We can have this victory through the strength of our believing-in/obeying and trust in Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because all who are God’s children depart from the evil here in this world. The belief that we have is what wins over the evil here on earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we are God’s children we endure to draw away from the evil which is here in the world so it does not win out over us. And because we trust in Jesus Christ, therefore we endure to draw away from the evil which is in this world so it does not win out over us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Because whoever is born anew of God, overcomes the world. And we overcome the world by our faith.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because we have been born again in the presence of God, therefore all that is here in the world has been conquered by us. On account of our faith (its believing our hearts) is conquered by us all that is here in the world.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who is in-the-state-of-having-become-a-child by-means-of-God keeps on overcoming the world. Through our having rested the whole weight of our hearts on Him we overcome the world.”
  • Yanesha’: “All who are born again from our Father, they surpass that which is on the earth. From our counting on our Father, that is how we surpass that which is on the earth.”
  • Aguaruna: “because God’s children are victors over those of this world here. They overcome because they believe.”
  • Murui Huitoto: “Everyone begotten by God has defeated those of the earth. Because we believe God, we defeat those of the earth.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Mark 8:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:24:

  • Uma: “The blind person looked-around and said: ‘I see people, shadowy like trees walking here and there.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The man looked-up and he said, ‘I see people walking, but they are in appearance like trees.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that blind person looked around, and he said, ‘I can see the people which look like trees which are walking.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The blind-one looked-up and he said, ‘There is. I can-see people. Their appearance is like trees, but they are walking.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That blind person looked around and said, ‘Yes, I can now see people who are walking, but they are still like trees.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Aguaruna: “Saying, answering said, ‘I see men, however like trees, but walking about,’ one-able-to-see-a-little-it being.” (Source: Mildred L. Larson in Notes on Translation, September 1965, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 1:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:3:

  • Uma: “What we (excl.) have already seen and heard, that is what we (excl.) announce to you, so that you can be-in-harmony with us (excl.). And our (incl.) harmony, is harmony with God the Father and Yesus Kristus his Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Now we (excl.) have also told you what we (excl.) saw and heard so that you join us (excl.) and we (incl.) can become one with our (incl.) Father God and his Son/Child, Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am going to tell you that which we saw and which we heard from Him, so that you might have an intimate relationship with us, for we (excl.) also have an intimate relationship with our Father God and His Son Jesus Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Those-things that we (excl.) saw and we (excl.) heard, that is what we (excl.) confirm to you in this letter so that you will join/be-added-to our (excl.) companionship with God our (incl.) Father and Jesu Cristo his Child” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We (excl.) are testifying to you this which we (excl.) have seen and heard, so that you may-be-able-to-have-fellowship/friendship with us. And not only that, but rather we can all of us together have fellowship with God the Father and his Son (lit. Child) Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “We tell you that we saw him and what we ourselves heard him say, in order that you also together with us will be friends with God our Father and also with Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person whom we saw and heard his words, we proclaim to you (pl.) what he is like, in order that our (inclusive) head-hearts may become one. Truly our (inclusive) head-hearts are one with the head-heart of our (inclusive) father God and with the head-heart of his son Jesus Christ.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We really heard and saw what we are saying, and that is what we are telling you now, so that you will know as well as we. And we (inclusive) will be of the same mind with our Father and his Son Jesus Christ.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because we saw him, because we heard his words, therefore we tell you (pl.) also in order that thus one will become before God. Because one we have become already really and truly alone with our Father God and His Son, (he is) Jesus Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “That which we ourselves saw is what I am also saying to you. Also that which we heard then I am saying to you. We fellowship with the Father, we fellowship also with His Child Jesus Christ. I am telling you these things in order that by that fellowship we might fellowship together.”
  • Yanesha’: “I am going to say to you again; What we used to see, it too, what we used to hear, that is what we relate to you. Then you, too, thus completely you will be one with us. We, we are one with Father, him too, his Son who is Jesus Christ.”
  • Aguaruna: “Whom we saw, whom we heard, I tell to you in order that we (reciprocally) stay contentedly with one another. We are those able to stay (reciprocally) contented towards Our Father God, and also towards his Son Jesus Christ.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

    • 1 John 1.4″

complete verse (1 John 2:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:25:

  • Uma: “And this is his promise to us: good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And this is hep what Almasi promised, that he would give us (incl.) life forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For what Christ has promised us is life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because this just the same is the life that has no end that Cristo promised to us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And this is what God promised us, life which has no ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And Jesus Christ also promised that he will give us the new life forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Jesus Christ promised us this, that he will give us eternal life.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And he himself said truly that he will give us the new life of our hearts, which is now and will never end.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because Jesus Christ told us that he gives us our life forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Didn’t He himself say, ‘I will give you eternal life’?”
  • Yanesha’: “This is what he tild us he would give us, of a truth, thus we will not always be in a mortal state (capable of dying) forever.”
  • Aguaruna: “He has promised to us always life.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:4:

  • Uma: “But you, my children, you are-children of God, and you have defeated those lying prophets, for the Influence/Spirit [lit., clearness; sometimes used to refer to the Holy Spirit] that is in your hearts is more powerful than the influence/spirit that is in the hearts of those who do not believe in the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But, my children-grandchildren, you belong to God hep. The people who pretend to be prophets have been defeated by you because they were not able to carry-you-along/influence-you to follow their teaching. They are defeated by you because God’s Spirit in your livers is more powerful than the spirit in the people who do not follow/obey God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you, my children, you now belong to God, and you have overcome these false spirits, for God who lives in us (incl.) is more powerful than Satan who lives in the people here on the earth who are enemies of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you my children, you are God’s children, and you have defeated those liars, because (reassurance part.) they have not deceived you. For the Spirit of God who is in you is more important/powerful than Satanas who rules them who don’t believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for you, who are like my children, you are now children of God. And you have now been able to have victory over those liars who claim-falsely-to-be-prophets. You have been able to have victory over them now because the Espiritu Santo who is indwelling your body is far more supernaturally-powerful, far more than that evil-one/spirit who is Satanas who is inspiring people who haven’t submitted to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, now you are God’s people. Therefore you have been victorious over the lying prophets. Because the Holy Spirit with whom you walk is more powerful than the devil who walks with the people here on earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, we are God’s children, and we have already won out by not believing the words of those people who lie saying they speak God’s word. We have won out because God who is with us has greater authority than the deceiver who is with the people whose heads sit (who are concerned) only about what happens on this earth.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, we are God’s children. And now we have overcome the deceiver prophets, because he with whom we live is stronger than God’s enemy who rules the world.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, we are God’s children. Therefore have been conquered by us those who think wrongly they say God’s word. Because very great power has God that is here in our hearts. No power has the devil that is there in their hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Children whom I love, listen! As for you, you are of God. You overcame them. The one who lives in you overcomes (is greater than) the ones who live in the world.”
  • Yanesha’: “You, of a truth, my little ones, are of the category-lineage of our Father. You went and surpassed them. The one who fills you, he is very strong. The one that fills people of the earth, he is not so strong.”
  • Aguaruna: “My little children, you belong to God, being so you are victors over them. God, the one who is in you, that one more truly he surpasses the ones who rule this world here.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:15:

  • Uma: “And if we know that he hears our requests, we also know that we have received whatever we request of him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And because we (dual) know that he hears our (dual) requests to him, we (dual) also know that he has already given us (dual) what we (dual) ask of him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He always listens to us when we pray, and because of that, we know also that He will give what we ask for.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And if we know that he hears what we request, we also know that it is already ours.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well since we know now that he responds-positively to us, we also know now that he gives us whatever it is that we are asking for from him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If we know that God pays attention to whatever we ask for, then we know that whatever we ask for will be given to us when we pray to him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And if we know that he heeds us whatever we ask him, likewise we know that truly he will do what we ask him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And if we know that he hears well, then also we know that he will give us what we ask for.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we know that he grabs our words, thus we know also that he will give us what we ask him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Surely we know that concerning all things which we ask for He hears us. If God Himself hears, that which we ask for we will receive.”
  • Yanesha’: “If we know that he, always he listens if whatever we ask for, we know also that already we receive whatever we ask for.”
  • Aguaruna: “We know that God hears what we ask for, therefore we know that he will do it like that.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)