Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 2:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:9:

  • Uma: “People who say they are in the light, and they hate their relatives, they are still in the darkness.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever says that he is already in the light, but he hates his fellow truster in Isa Almasi he is still in darkness up to now.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person who says that God has illuminated his mind, but he is the enemy of his companion, he is still in the darkness.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If there is one who says that he is in the light/brightness while-at-the-same-time he hates a companion of his, he is still in the darkness just the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The one who says that as for him, he is now in the light/enlightenment, but he is still ignoring/spurning his sibling in believing, the truth is, he is still in darkness.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who says that he is now living good, yet he hates his brother, is still living in evil.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say we are present where there is light because of our doing good, but if we hate our fellows, we are still in darkness because we are doing evil by hating our fellows.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who says he is living in God’s light, and hates his sibling, but still the same-as-before he is living in the darkness.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘I am in the sunlight,’ if we hate a Christian brother, we are still in darkness.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who says, ‘I live in the light,’ but hates his brother, because of that he is still living in the darkness.”
  • Yanesha’: “The one who says he is already in the light, if still he despises his countrymen, he is still in the darkness.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘I walk in light-place,’ although saying, one who is angry at his brother, that one yet walks in darkness-place,” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:12:

  • Uma: “Don’t imitate the behavior of Kain long ago. That Kain, he was-a-child of the evil-one(s), with the result that he killed his younger-sibling. Why was it that he killed his younger-sibling? Because his behavior was evil [emphatic], yet the behavior of his younger-sibling was upright.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Let us (incl.) not be like Kabil. Kabil deceased (ley) belonged to Satan/demon and his brother was killed by him. Why was he killed by him? He was killed by him because the doings of his brother were good but his doings were bad/evil.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We must not be like Cain, for he was the subject of Satan, and he murdered his younger brother. The reason he murdered him is because his activities were evil, and the activities of his younger brother were righteous, by contrast.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It should not be Cain’s behavior that you imitate, because as for Cain, he was a person of Satanas and he killed his younger-sibling Abel. What was the reason that he killed him? Because what he was doing was evil but by-contrast what his younger-sibling was doing was good.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Let’s not be like that as-it-were child of Satanas who is Cain , he who killed his brother. Well, why did he kill him? Because his own doing was evil, but his brother’s doing was righteous in the sight of God. That’s why Cain hated/was-angry-with that brother of his.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “We must not do like Cain who walked with the devil, therefore he killed his brother. Why was it that he killed him? He was killed because Cain did evil and therefore he was jealous of his brother who did good.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We should not do like Cain did. He was a child of the deceiver (the devil) who is very evil, and he killed his brother. Why was it he killed him? He killed him because his brother walked straight whereas he walked with evil.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we will not do as Cain did who took the nature of the devil, and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his deeds were bad, and his brother did what was good.”
  • Tzotzil: “Therefore do not do like Cain did. Because Cain was in the hand of the devil therefore he killed his younger brother. Because it was straight what his younger brother did.” (Implied that Cain’s were not straight.) (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Don’t be like Cain. Because he was characteristically a bad-one, Cain killed his brother. Why did he kill his brother? What he himself did was bad-kind and what his brother did was only the straight-kind. Because of that he killed his brother.”
  • Yanesha’: “We are not to do like dead Cain who was of the category-lineage of the devil. He, his brother he killed. Why did he kill him? This is why he killed him, he, not good he followed (and did), his brother, completely fittingly he followed (and did).”
  • Aguaruna: “Don’t be like the one named Cain. He killed his brother, the devil making him think like that. Why did he kill him? His brother working good, he working bad, he killed him.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:20:

  • Uma: “A person who says: ‘I love God,’ and he hates his relatives, why, he is lying. For if he does not love his relatives whom he sees, how much more so [will he not love] God whom he doesn’t see.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If someone says that he loves God but he hates his fellow-man, he is lying. Because if he does not love his fellow-man whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If anyone says that God is very dear in his breath but he acts against his companions he is a liar. For it’s not possible for him to love God whom he has not seen if he does not also love his companion who he has seen already.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If someone says that he loves God while-at-the-same-time he hates his fellow, he is a liar. Because if he has no love for his fellow that he sees, it is not possible that he would love God whom he has not seen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Supposing someone says, ‘I hold God dear now,’ but if he still has a sibling in believing whom he is ignoring/spurning, then that holding dear of his is only his lie. Because if he doesn’t yet value his companion whom he’s been seeing all this time, how could he hold God dear whom he can’t see?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The person who says he loves God and who hates his brother is a liar. Because he who does not love his brother, one whom he sees, how is it possible that he loves God whom he cannot see?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say that we love God, and we hate our fellows, we lie. If we do not love our follows-and we see them -, how could we manage to possibly love God when we do not see him?”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But if one tries to say, ‘I love (esteem) God,’ he lies if he hates his sibling, if he doesn’t love his sibling whom he sees, who lives here, he can’t love (esteem) God who isn’t seen here.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘I love God,’ if we hate our brethren, we lie for sure. Because if we do not love our brethren that here we continually see them, ¿Where could it be that we love God whose face we have never seen?” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who says ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, that one is a liar, that’s what he is. One who his brother, even though seeing, doesn’t love, therefore even more so God not then seeing would he love?”
  • Yanesha’: “If any one says, I, I love our Father, however, he despises his countrymen, he of a truth, is just deceiving. If he does not love his countrymen whom he sees, he is not able to love our Father, not seeing him.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who ‘I love God,’ saying, yet hates his brother, that one he lying he says it. His brother, although seeing him, if he does not love him, God, the one whom he has not seen, how can he love?”
  • Murui Huitoto: “The one who says that I love God lies if he hates his brother. He sees his brother but doesn’t love him. He doesn’t see God, therefore, how will he love God?” (Source for this and three above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Acts 7:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:20:

  • Uma: “At that time, Musa was born. Musa was a child who was very handsome. He was cared-for for only three months in his parents’ house, and he was thrown out.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It was during that time that Musa was born. Musa was a very handsome boy. For three months he could still be hidden in the house of his parents.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now that was the time when Moses was born. He was a very lovely child and God was pleased with him. His parents took care of him for three months.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘And that was the time when-Moses -was-born who was a fine-looking baby. Three months were what his mother nursed him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “At that time Moses was born who was a really lovely child. He was cared for for three months by his parents.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Aguaruna: “When they stayed like that one little child was borne-remote-past, one-chosen by God, who was to be our grandfather Moses….” (Source: Larson 1998, p. 81)

complete verse (1 John 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:20:

  • Uma: “But you, relatives, you have received the Holy Spirit who is from Kristus. That’s why you all know the true teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But you are not like they. Almasi has already sent to you the Holy Spirit therefore all of you know the true teaching.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you, by contrast, Christ has caused you to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and because of that, you understand all of the true doctrine.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you, the Ispirito Santo (Holy Spirit) whom Cristo gave is in you, so you all know the true teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But as for you, you have now been shown-grace/mercy by God that you are being indwelled now by the Espiritu Santo. Therefore you can now comprehend the truth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But concerning you, now Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to you. This one caused you to know what is true and what isn’t true.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “But Jesus Christ the clean-hearted person, has given you the Spirit of God like he has done with us (excl.). Therefore we (incl.) know everything.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Jesus Christ, is God’s Chosen-One, He gave us God’s Good Spirit. So all of us know what is true.”
  • Tzotzil: “You because you have been given also the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ therefore all of you know also the word that is true.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “As for you, however, the straight-one has put His own Spirit in you. Therefore you learned all things.”
  • Yanesha’: “However, you, already he fills you, the Deity One. All of you, already completely you know it. You know what is true.”
  • Aguaruna: “But you are those chosen by Christ, the blameless one, you being so, He giving you God’s Spirit, you know the truth, that.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:23:

  • Uma: “This is his command(s): we believe in Yesus Kristus his Child, and we love one another, according to what he has commanded us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This he commanded to us (incl.), that we (dual) should trust in his Son, Isa Almasi, and we (incl.) should also love each other as Almasi commanded us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What He commands us (incl.) is: it’s necessary that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and that each one of us loves our companions just as Jesus also commanded long ago.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And this is what he commanded us: we must believe in his Child who is Jesu Cristo and love-one-another, because this just the same is what Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is what he has commanded, that we will believe-in/obey and trust-in/rely-on his Son Jesu-Cristo, and that we value one another like this Jesu-Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This word which God commands is that we believe Jesus Christ his Son and we do what he commands, in that each one of us loves all our fellow believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And this is what he commands us to do: We should trust in his son Jesus Christ and love our fellows each of us the other like he commands us to do.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And here is his command that we believe God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and we love one another, as he told us.”
  • Tzotzil: “Thus is God’s command that we believe the word of his Son, that is Jesus Christ. Thus is his command also that we love one anther.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “This is what God ordered us, that we should lean our hearts on His Son Jesus Christ, and also that we should love one another. That is what He ordered us.”
  • Yanesha’: “These are the words which he told (commanded) us, that we believe on him his Son who is Jesus Christ. He also told us that we have the characteristic of loving one another, thus he told us.”
  • Aguaruna: “That word to be obeyed it is this, ‘Believe in my Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another.’ That is what he wants.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:10:

  • Uma: “People who believe in God’s Child, they know in their hearts that God’s testimony is true. Whoever doesn’t believe God, they are actually calling-a-liar God, for they haven’t believed God’s testimony that talks about his Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever trusts in the Son of God, he knows in his liver that Isa is really God’s Son. But the one who doesn’t believe God, it is as if he says that God is lying because he does not believe the witness of God about his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, he has become convinced by the witness of God. Anyone who will not believe in the witness of God, he thinks of God as a liar, for he has not believed the witness of God about his Son Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever then believes in the Child of God, what God confirmed concerning him has been stored-away in his mind, but as for the one who doesn’t believe what God said, he turns-God -into a liar, because of course he doesn’t believe what he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts the Son of God, he is sure in his mind/inner-being that this testimony of God is really true. But as for the one who doesn’t believe this testimony of God, he is doing none other than saying God is lying, because he isn’t believing what he is testifying concerning his Son.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who believes the Son of God already knows in his own heart that what he believes is true. He who does not believe what God says, this person calls God a liar because he does not believe the word God has said about who his Son is.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we trust in God’s son, God speaks about his son in our head-hearts. If we do not believe God’s words, we treat God like a liar, because we do not believe his words which he speaks about his son.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who believes God’s Son, has been given understanding, and knows, himself, in his heart what is true. But he who doesn’t believe God, he looks on God as a liar, because he didn’t believe what God said about his Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we believe the word of the Son of God, thus we know that it is true what God has told us about his Son. If we do not believe the word of God’s Son, we think wrongly that God lies because we do not believe what God has told us about his Son.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who rests-the-whole-weight of his heart on God’s Son has God’s telling in his own heart. The one who doesn’t say, ‘God is telling the truth’ makes God as-if-He-were-a-liar. For he doesn’t keep (believe) God’s telling, For he doesn’t say, ‘It’s true’ about what God says about His Son.”
  • Yanesha’: “If any one believes in our Father’s Son, he has thus he knows by himself. The one who does not believe in our Father does toward him as if he were a deceiver, because he does not believe our Father, his causing-to-know with reference to his Son.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who says ‘Jesus is truly God’s son,’ that one thinks the truth concerning what God tells, but he who does not believe this is like that one who says ‘God is a liar,’ because he does not believe what God told about his Son.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “He who believes God’s Son, he knows that it is true that which God says. And he who doesn’t believe God, he says that God lies, because he doesn’t believe what God says so we can know his Son.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (John 1:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:16:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “And since he has much love, for that reason we all receive many favors which he does for us.”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “His heart is good to the fullest. Therefore he makes his heart good to us day after day.”
  • Aguaruna: “He is truly goodness, and so he does good to us also.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “He has done for us many kindnesses since he is very kind and merciful.”
  • Tojolabal: “He has everything, and he has given us many favors.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)Uma: “There is no end to his love, and from his love he blesses us all, there is no end to the blessing we receive from him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because there with the Word is all the love, we (incl.) all also profit/have a share in his love and help. His love and help is added to us (incl.) all the time/increasingly.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since he is very gracious, the good thing which he blesses all of us with never stop.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “On-account-of his large mercy/kindness, he is continually blessing all of us who believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Through the big-size of his valuing us, his grace/mercy keeps-on-coming to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All pertains to us what he gives. The favor he gives flows over us without limit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Because of the big/great mercy/grace of Christ his blessings to us(incl) all just follow-one-after-another.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “is good insides are definitely very great, very good. That’s why we all already regularly receive goodness from Him Himself. He himself does not stop giving us His good insides.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Bariai: “For the action/practice of kindness was full in him. And this action of kindness of his, he transferred it to us (incl.) very greatly.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “We are all blessed completely because of the love which he has for us.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)