Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 2:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:29:

  • Uma: “Kristus always follows God’s will. You know that, relatives. So you also know: all people who follow God’s will, they are-children of God [more literally, they are-related-as-child-to God].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You know that Almasi is straight/righteous therefore you know that whoever does the straight/righteous, he is God’s child.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) already know that Christ is righteous. We also know that anyone whose behavior is righteous, he has already become the child of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You admittedly know that God is righteous, so you should also understand that all those who are doing what is good and right are children of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You are well aware that God is really righteous. So therein you will be able to comprehend that as for those who do what is righteous in the sight of this God, they are the ones whom he regards as now being his children.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now you know that Jesus Christ lives completely good. Also it is necessary that you know that all who live good, these are God’s children.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “As you know that Christ walks straight (is righteous), likewise you know that all of us who walk straight are children of God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know that God is entirely good. And likewise they whoever habitually do good, we know they are born anew of God, and are his children.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we know that he is straight-hearted, thus we know also that we are his (God’s) children if all that we do is straight.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Jesus is the straight one-emphasis. If you know that, then you know this also: the person who lives straight is-in-the-state-of-having-become-a-child-by-means-of-God.”
  • Yanesha’: “If you know that he, fitting completely whatever he does, you know also whoever does that which is fitting, already he is born from him.”
  • Aguaruna: “You know Christ, the blameless one, ‘He is like that’ saying and this also you ought to know, ‘A person who words good, that one is a child of God.’ saying.

complete verse (1 John 4:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:8:

  • Uma: “People who don’t love others, they do not yet know God, for God, he is loving.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He who does not love does not know God, because God really loves hep.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who has no love for his companions, know nothing at all about the actions of God, for every act of God is His showing His love.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the one who has no love for his fellow, neither does he know God, for God is consistently-loving.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But the one who doesn’t value like this, that one doesn’t yet know/acknowledge God, because God really is the one who is the source of this valuing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who does not love his fellowman is not acquainted with God, because God loves all people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we do not love our fellows we are not yet acquainted with God, because we do not do like God does. God loves mankind.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But he who has no love, doesn’t know God, because God is love (lover).”
  • Tzotzil: “If we do not take on the character of a lover it is because we do not know God. Because God has the character of a lover (or God’s character is to habitually love).” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who doesn’t love, doesn’t come to know (learn) God. For God is one who loves.”
  • Yanesha’: “Those who are not lovers do not know our Father how he is, because our Father, he is love.”
  • Aguaruna: “But he who does not love, he doesn’t know ‘God is like that’ saying; because ‘God is one who really loves.’ saying, he doesn’t say it.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:19:

  • Uma: “What we know: we here are-children of God, and this whole world is controlled by the King of Evil-ones.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) know that we (incl.) belong to God, but all the others in the world are under-the-power/in-the-hold of the leader of demons.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that we are children of God, however, all of the enemies of God here on the earth, Satan controls them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Second, we know that even though Satanas rules all those who don’t believe, yet as for us, we are God’s children.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We know that as for us, we are now children of God. But Satanas still is the one ruling here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now we know that we are God’s children. All the other people all over the world are in the hands of the devil.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We know we are God’s children, but all the people whose heads are sitting (who are concerned) about just what is happening on this earth are under the feet of (ruled by) the deceiver.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we know that we are God’s children. But all the rest who live in the world are in the power (dominion) of the big-evil-one.”
  • Tzotzil: “We know that we are in the hand of God. We know also that all the people are in the hand of the devil.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “We are of God. Surely we know this. The world belongs completely to the evil-one.”
  • Yanesha’: “We, we know that we are of the category-lineage of our Father. But the people of the earth, his followers they are to him, the devil.”
  • Aguaruna: “However this also we know: ‘We belong to God, but the devil commands all others here in this world.'” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (John 8:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 8:28:

  • Aguaruna: “Because of this, Jesus said, ‘Fastening me high on a tree, you will know in reference to me, ‘This is the one born becoming a person.’ When you do that you will know, ‘He does not speak just on his own; he tells his Father’s teachings.'”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And for that reason he said to them, ‘Until you raise me up on high, me, the man from above, until then you will not know who I am. You will know then that I do nothing of myself. I do only what the Father has shown me.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “That is why he said to them again: ‘When you make-me-high later, I the Child of Mankind, only then will you know that it is I. There is not anything that I do according to my own will. I only say what my Father teaches me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore Isa said to them, ‘When you have already lifted up the Son of Mankind on the post, then you will know that I am the one I am saying. And you will also know that I am not doing anything of myself/my body only and all my teaching is only what my Father commanded me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore Jesus said again, ‘I, the Older Brother of Mankind, when you have nailed me in the future to the wood that will be stood up, you will then know that I am the one chosen by God to rule. You will know then that all that I do, my Father God has caused me to do, and that which he has caused me to say is what I have said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore Jesus also said to them, ‘After (lit. When it is finished) you have caused-me who am Child of a Person -to-be-raised on the cross, then you will thoroughly come-to-know that I am whom I said. You will also come-to-know that there is nothing that I do from my own thoughts, but rather I say only what my Father taught me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore Jesus said next to them, ‘When you are able to set up the cross on which is nailed he who is the One From Heaven Born of Man, therein you will comprehend that what I am telling is really true as to who I am. You will know that there is nothing which I am doing which is just of myself, but on the contrary, what I am saying is what is being shown/taught to me by my Father.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore he said to them, ‘When the Man who came from heaven is nailed to the cross, then you will know who I am. There isn’t one word that I say. The word the Father teaches me is what I speak.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 2:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:8:

  • Uma: “But even so, the command I write to you here is new. It is indeed true, this command is a new command. You know this from the Lord Yesus himself, and from your new behavior too. For the dark/night is already disappearing-more-and-more, and the true light has begun to shine.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But it is also possible that we/one (dual) consider this my writing as a new command. This command was followed by Almasi and is also followed by you. The darkness is beginning to leave/go away, and the real light is shining.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And even though this is an old command, it’s as if Jesus just commanded it to us because the darkness is now being removed from the earth and we are already being illuminated by the true doctrine.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But it is as if this command is new nonetheless, because its proper fulfillment was seen in what Cristo did and so also in your way of life today. Because the darkness is already leaving/going-away and the proper light is shining.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But also, it’s like there is a new command which I am writing about this valuing. Because as for this valuing, it really came true in the life of Jesus. And you also, you are now making a habit of this valuing. Well since it’s now like that, what it’s like is, it’s as if the darkness which is sin is now disappearing. The true light/enlightenment which comes from God is now giving light in your minds/thinking.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And now it is as though a new word I am ordering you to do, because truly it is taking away the darkness that covers the earth. Now, in that the word is going everywhere, it is as though a light were lighting things where the word goes. Jesus Christ really did what this word says, and now you also are doing what this word says.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “But this which he commands us to do, that we love one another, is also new because when we obey this commandment, it is true that we no longer walk in darkness but walk in the true light, just as Christ fulfilled this commandment and He did not walk in darkness but walked in the true light.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But this word is as though it were new, because the true light is shining in our hearts. It removes the darkness. So truly we love our fellowmen as Christ showed us.”
  • Tzotzil: “It is like a new command because it is important. Because the darkness is going away, because is already shining the true sunlight. Jesus Christ showed that the command was good. You have shown it too.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “However, as for being a new order, it is new. For the darkness has begun to pass away. The true-kind light has begun to be diffused (shine). By means of Jesus this (the order) is the very truth. By means of you also it is true.”
  • Yanesha’: “However, I do write to you again apart, anew that which you are to do, which is true as thus he used to live, which is true as thus you live, too. The darkness is going, passing by. That which is the light completely of a truth, already it is all lighting.”
  • Aguaruna: “but it is like new because now the light, the truth, going it causes darkness to be lost. That new word, that is true, because Christ completed it and because you all also are completing it.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:11:

  • Uma: “This is the news that you heard from the first: we must love one another.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When you first trusted in Isa Almasi you heard this preaching that we (incl.) should love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It’s necessary that each one of us love our companions. This is what was taught to us (incl.) when we first believed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The true teaching that you have been hearing since when- you -believed, it is this: it is necessary that we love-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This indeed is what you heard which was taught to you from long ago, that we value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The word which you heard at the first says that each one of us must love all our fellow believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And this word you have heard since you began to trust in Christ, that we must love our fellows each of us the other.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Because this is the command that we were told at the beginning, that we love one another.”
  • Tzotzil: “Thus says God’s word that you heard when you believed: Love one another, it says.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “This message is the one which you first heard. ‘May they love one another,’ he said and ordered. This in the one.”
  • Yanesha’: “These are words which you have heard from the beginning thus we are to characteristically love one another.”
  • Aguaruna: “That which you heard, when you first heard, it is this word, ‘You all love one another,’ that.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:19:

  • Uma: “We are loving, because God is the one who first loved us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) love because God first loved us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason that He is now very dear in our breath is because we were first dear in His breath.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We love because God went-ahead to love us (i.e. loved us first).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The truth is, we now ourselves hold dear and value because we are already being held dear and valued by God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “We love God now, because we have now understood that it was he who loved us first.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We love God because he first began to love us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We love (esteem) God because first God loved us.”
  • Tzotzil: “First God loved us therefore we love God now.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “We love God, for He first loved us.”
  • Yanesha’: “He, he went and loved us first, that’s why, we, we love him too.”
  • Aguaruna: “We love God, because he loved us first.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (John 21:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 21:25:

  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “If all that he did should be written, I am of the opinion that the books wouldn’t even all fit in the whole world here.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: ” . . . If all of them, all things were all written, no doubt they wouldn’t be able to be contained in this world, the writings where it was written what Jesus did.”
  • Aguaruna: “But writing each one, there wouldn’t be a place to put the paper here in this world.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If all of them were written one by one, there would be an extremely great number of books.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “There are still many other [things] that Yesus did. If for example everything that he did was written in books, I think that even if the whole world were-used-to-store-them-in, they probably could not fit, because there would be very many books.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa has done very many other deeds that are not written. If they were all written in a holy-book, I figure all the holy-books that would have to be written would not fit here into the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus did many other things. If all of them were written down, even the whole world would not be big enough to hold the books that would be written.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There are admittedly many more-things that Jesus did. If they were all to be written, even the entire world, it would perhaps not be-able-to-contain the many-books in which they were written.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There are other and many more things which Jesus did. Supposing they were all written, I am sure that the whole world which is here under the heavens wouldn’t be able to contain the number of books in which they would be written.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus did many other things which if I had written down on paper each one, I suppose the earth wouldn’t hold the books that I would have written.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)