Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 1:2)

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

  • Uma: “The one who gives life, he appeared in this world, and we (excl.) saw [emphatic] him. That’s why we (excl.) make-clear [i.e., explain] to you who he is, and testify that he is the one who gives good life forever. From the first he already was with God the Father, and he appeared to us (excl.).” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He was shown/revealed in the shape/form of a human/mankind. We (excl.) really saw him therefore we (excl.) witness telling you about the one who gives life which has no end. In the beginning he was there with his Father God, and he was shown/revealed to us (excl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When this source of life came down here to the earth, we (excl.) saw Him, and because of that we will tell you what we have seen. We will explain to you about the One titled Life Without End. He was the companion of our Father God before, and then He was revealed to us (excl.) here on the earth.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Yes indeed, he who is the source of life, he was made evident to us (excl.). We(excl.) really saw him. That’s why we (excl.) now testify about him, and we (excl.) are now teaching you concerning him who is alive without ending. From long ago, he was already there in the presence of God the Father, and now/today, he has been made evident to us (excl.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This one who gives the new life caused it to be known who he was. And we saw him and now we give our witness that we saw him. Now we tell you that this one who gives the new life has no beginning and has no ending to his life. He was living there where his Father is, but he came here so that we saw him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “He revealed himself to us and we saw him and we say that he lives eternally. And we proclaim to you (pl.) that he is with our (in) father God and how he revealed himself to us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And he the Word who gives the new life showed himself to us in that he became a person. And we saw that he really became a person. So that’s what we are telling you now, that he is the one who was living, and lives now, and will never end. He was living with his Father and later came into the world and showed himself to us.”
  • Tzotzil: “He showed himself that he is the giver of life. We saw him. Therefore we tell you (pl.) what he is like the giver of everlasting life, who was there with our (inclusive) Father God. Afterwards he came and showed himself before us.”
  • Garifuna: “The one who gives life has been shown to us…” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “For life was revealed (made visible). We ourselves saw him. That is what I’m telling you about. Life, the one who exists forever, always dwelt with the Father. That is what I’m telling you about. I’m talking to you about that one who was revealed to us.”
  • Yanesha’: “This, of a truth, we relate to you. Now, of a truth, already it has appeared therein we completely live. We, already we have seen it, we now we reveal about him. Now we relate to you how that not will we be in mortal state, ever. This life completely was where Father was, however, for us, too, completely already it has appeared.”
  • Aguaruna: “God caused us to see (know) that life, and because it was so we are those who saw (know) him. Being so, being those who saw, we tell about him, that one who gives always life, the one who lives with our Father God, that one, concerning him we tell. What God caused us to see, concerning that one I tell.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 2:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:24:

  • Uma: “So, as for you, relatives, the news that you have heard from the first you must take-to-heart always. If that news that you have heard from the first you take-to-heart always, you will remain in harmony with God the Child and God the Father.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore really store up in your livers the preaching about Isa Almasi that you have heard when you first trusted in him. If that what you heard remains in your liver, you are really one with God’s Son and also with his Father.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The doctrine which was taught to you when you first believed must be held tightly by you. For if you hold it tight, it is not possible that you will not always be one with God our (incl.) Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Make-firm then in your minds the true teaching that you have been hearing beginning-from when- you -believed. Because if you do that, you will always be in God and in Jesu Cristo his Child,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, as for you, take good care that these words which you heard from the past remain with you. Because if you really take to heart (lit. put away in your heads) this which you heard from the past, therein you can be sure that your fellowship with God the Son and his Father won’t change/move.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore in your hearts dwell upon the words which you heard at first. If in your hearts you dwell upon the words which you first heard, then you will walk with the Son of God, and also you will walk with the Father.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Think about what you have heard since you began to trust in Christ. If you will do that you will constantly be with our father God and with his son.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we, we must plant on our hearts what we heard at the beginning. Because if we plant in our hearts what we heard at the beginning, then habitually we live with the Father and his Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “Therefore all that you heard when you began to believe God’s word, once and for all, put it in your hearts. If once and for all it has arrived in your hearts all that you heard when you began to believe God’s word, thus once and for all you have entered the presence of the Son of God and also the presence of His Father.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “As for you (plural), keep that very word which you first heard. If you keep that which you first heard, you will keep living (abiding) with the Father, like that you will do. You will keep living (abiding) with the Son also.”
  • Yanesha’: “The words from the beginning, already they have arrived on you in your heart. Let it stay thus. If the words you heard from the beginning, if you reserve them in your heart, then you will be one with his Son and the Father.”
  • Aguaruna: “What you heard at the beginning, that be remembering. Doing so you will live in (at, direction toward) God, and in his Son.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:3:

  • Uma: “All people who don’t admit-confess that Yesus is that Redeemer King, they are not children of God. Those people are controlled by the influence/spirit that is from the Enemy of Kristus. You have heard the teaching that says that the Enemy of Kristus will arrive, and at this time he is already in the world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But whoever says that Almasi did not come in the body of a human/mankind, that person does not have God’s Spirit. But/instead it is seen in him that he follows the mind of the Opposing Almasi. You have been informed hep that this Opposing Almasi will come and now many people in the world follow the mind of the Opposing Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, if there is a spirit who says that Jesus, the one chosen of God, did not become a human, then that spirit does not come from God, but rather it comes from the enemy of Christ. You have already heard that there have appeared spirits which come from the enemy of Christ, and I tell you that they are now here in the world.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if they don’t acknowledge that Jesus is the Cristo who became a person, it is not the Spirit of God who is in them, but rather the thoughts that are the same as the One-who-Opposes Cristo. You have been hearing that he will come and already that which is opposing Cristo is now being taught.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But as for the one who gives out that Jesus didn’t become a real human, it’s certain that it is not the Espiritu Santo of God who is putting in his mind what he will say. On the contrary, the truth is, it’s the inspiring by this opponent of Cristo, he whom you were told would come. And even now/today, there is opposition like this to Cristo here now in this world.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But all who say that Jesus Christ did not become a human, then they do not walk with the Holy Spirit, rather it is the word of the enemy of Christ. And you have heard that it will come to be that the words of liars will spread through the earth. And now this word is spreading.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person who does not say that Jesus Christ is God and he was born a man on this earth, the Spirit of God is not in his head-heart. He thinks like the person who does contrary to Christ. You have already heard that the person is coming who does contrary to Christ, and now that person is already in this world.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But whoever says that Jesus Christ is not God’s Chosen-One, and denies that he became a person, but then he doesn’t speak the Word of God. But he received the word of Christ’s enemy. And his word is a lie. We have heard that his word which is a lie was coming to the world, and now it has come.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘Jesus Christ did not come and take his body here in the world,’ we have not received the Spirit of God for sure. We are of the same mind/heart with the enemy of Christ. You have heard that he is coming. He is already 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 says, ‘No,’ about (to) Jesus is surely not of God. He is a false Christ, one of the ones of whom you heard it said they were coming. Right now they are in the world.”
  • Yanesha’: “Whichever does not admit that Jesus was born as a human, this following does not come from the Father. But this is his following, the one who is mad at Christ, the one which you already heard he is to come. Now already he has appeared on this earth.”
  • Aguaruna: “However others, thoughts which are not like that, do not belong to God. Those angry at (opposed to, hating) Christ, other they think. You heard that those will come, those now they have arrived in this world here.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:14:

  • Uma: “We are brave to call out to God, for we know that he hears our request, as long as our request is according to his will.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (dual) are not afraid to come close to/approach God, because we (dual) are assured that whatever we (dual) ask of him he will really hear us (dual) if-only/as-long-as our (dual) requests follow his wishes/will.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for us (incl.) who have believed, our faith when we pray to God is big. We (incl.) know that if there is anything that we (incl.) ask for which is not contrary to what He wants, He will give it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We also have boldness to pray to God, because we know for-sure that whatever we request from him that is in harmony with what he wants, he hears it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And there’s no more need for us to be holding back from approaching him because we are now sure that, whatever we ask for which is in harmony with his will, he really will respond-positively.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When we pray to God now we are brave, because we know for sure that if we ask for something that God wants to give us, then God will pay attention to what we say.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And we are not afraid to pray before God, because God heeds us so long as what we ask is worthy of our asking him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We don’t fear to come near to God, because if what we ask for is in accordance with God’s will, we know that he hears well our word.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because our hearts are the same with God (we are of the same mind as God), thus we are not afraid when we talk to him. We know that he grabs our words.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “We rest-the-whole-weight of our hearts on Him. For when we ask for that which He Himself wants He himself hears us.”
  • Yanesha’: “We, from our counting on him, we know that whatever we ask for which he wants, he, always he listens to us.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who asks for what God desires, God will hear him, therefore fearlessly we are those who ask.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Garifuna: “Here is what we know/are sure God will do: If we ask with him as by means of his desire (in accordance with his will), he will hear us.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (John 3:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:30:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “It is necessary that it be known that he is the great one. But it is necessary that I be thought nothing of.”
  • Aguaruna: “He will be more surpassing. I will not be great, I will be small.”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “He must be honored by many people, but I will no longer be honored.”
  • Chol: “Christ must be the more important one. I must be made less important.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “It is necessary that they follow Jesus more and more and that they follow me less and less.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “He is the one whose life must be made high, and my life must be made low.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He has to become greater/more honored but I have to become lower/less,’ said Yahiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For example, if there is a man being married, the bride belongs to him. As for the wedding arranger, his breath is very good when he hears that bridegroom talking with the one he has married. It’s like that also because it pleases me very much if many follow Jesus,’ said John. ‘It is necessary that mine should be removed.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is necessary that he be-made-greater (lit. high) while-simultaneously I become-lower.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s necessary that he becomes praiseworthy/highly-praised, but as for me, I just become insignificant.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “That one, the people must know better that he surpasses, and I must be second more.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 2:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:3:

  • Uma: “If we follow God’s commands, this is a sign so that we know that we really know him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) are sure that we (dual) know God if we (incl.) follow/obey his commandments.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that God is our friend if we obey His commands to us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If we are obeying the commands of God, that’s how we definitely know that we know him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We are sure that we now know God, as long as we are obeying well what he has commanded.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If we do what God commands, then we can know for sure that we know God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “But if we do what he commands, we know that we now know him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we really do his Word, we take for true that we know God.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we obey the commands of God, thus we know that we are his children.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “If we keep His orders, by that it is possible to know ourselves that we have learned (come to know) Jesus.”
  • Yanesha’: “If we reserve (keep in remembrance) his word, now of a truth we know of a truth thus how Christ is.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who obeys God’s word knows ‘God is surely like that.’ saying,” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:6:

  • Uma: “So, all people who remain in harmony with him, they no longer do sins. All people who keep doing sins, they haven’t seen him and they don’t know him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore whoever is one with Almasi, he does no longer sin. Anybody who is still sinning has not understood about Almasi and he has not known Christ.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, anyone who holds tight to His oneness with Christ, it is not possible that He continually does evil. That person who is always doing evil, he doesn’t yet know who Christ is and he has not yet believed in Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So whoever has-been-joined to Cristo, he doesn’t continue to sin, because the one who continues to sin, he hasn’t believed in Cristo and has absolutely not come-to-know him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The one who lives holding fast to his believing-in/obeying Jesu-Cristo, he doesn’t keep on doing sin. But the one who still keeps on with his doing of sin, he hasn’t comprehended what Jesu-Cristo is like and doesn’t really know/acknowledge him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All who walk with Jesus Christ do not continue committing sin. But all who commit sin are those who do not understand about Jesus Christ, and do not know him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we are constantly present with him, we are not evil doers. And each one of us if we are evil doers we do not yet understand who Jesus Christ is, nor are we acquainted with him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who habitually lives with Christ doesn’t habitually do sin. But he who habitually sins, never wanted to hear Christ and he never knew him.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we are in the presence of Christ, we don’t now seek our sin. If we still seek our sin, it is because we have not yet seen Christ, we do not yet know him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who lives (abides) with Jesus only does not sin. The one who sins has not seen Him. Neither does he know Him.”
  • Yanesha’: “All whoever is one with Christ is not characterized by sin. If anyone sins, he has never seen (or found) Christ, he does not know how Christ is.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who is in Christ goods (opposite of sins), but he who doesn’t do so he does not know Christ, ‘He is like that,’ saying he does not know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:14:

  • Uma: “We (excl.), we (excl.) have seen [emphatic] God’s Child, and we (excl.) testify that he is the one whom God the Father ordered here to be the King who lifts all mankind from the punishment of their sins.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And we (excl.) saw and we (excl.) bear witness also that God sent his Son to the world to save all mankind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for us (excl.) apostles, we know that God has sent His Son here so that mankind might be freed from punishment. The reason we know this is because we (excl.) saw Him and we are telling what we have seen.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) also (concessive particle), we (excl.) have seen Jesus, so we (excl.) can confirm that God sent his Child to this earth in order that he would be the one to save the collective-people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And as for us (excl.), we (excl.) really saw the Son of God, and testify that God the Father sent this Son of his, he being the Savior of all people here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And we (excl.) have ourselves seen the Son of God, therefore we give our testimony that the Father sent his Son here to earth to save people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And we (ex) saw the son of God and we (ex) say that our father God sent him to save the people in this world.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we (excl.) testify that the Father sent here his Son to redeem the lives of people here in the world. And we have seen his Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “We (excl.) saw it, we (excl.) are witnesses that our Father God sent coming (here) his Son. He came to help, save all people.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “That which we saw we are telling you. God sent His Son to snatch from danger (or death) the people of the world. To that ‘It is true,’ we say, for we saw Jesus Christ.”
  • Yanesha’: “We, already we have seen it, it also, we reveal how Father sent for us his Son who is to save us, people on the earth.”
  • Aguaruna: “Father God, he sent his son to this world here ‘That he save them!’ saying. Because we saw him we tell it.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)