Language-specific Insights

complete verse (2 John 1:3)

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

  • Uma: “God the Father and Yesus Kristus his Child bless us from his white insides [i.e., grace], show us his love, and give us goodness of life [i.e., peace, well-being]. All this is our portion with a heart that is upright and loving.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “May we (incl.) be cared for and be given mercy/pity by our (incl.) Father God and by Isa Almasi, his Son and may they cause peace in our (incl.) livers. All this is for us (incl.) who follow/obey the truth and love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for our Father God and Jesus Christ His Son, may They show kindness to us (incl.), may They show us mercy, and give us a peaceful situation. This can be because we (incl.) have held tight to the true doctrine, and we (incl.) love our companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If we continue to follow the true teaching and to love-one-another, we will gain/enjoy the help, mercy/grace/kindness and peace that come-from God our Father and Jesu Cristo his Child.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And the truth is, the grace/mercy, pitying help and peace/protection of mind/inner-being which God the Father and his Son (lit.Child) Jesu-Cristo give can always be ours. As for these things, God will really give them to those who have now recognized/acknowledged the truth and who value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “May God our Father and also his Son Jesus Christ give us a blessing and have mercy on us, and give us peace of heart. They will cause that we will follow the true word and that we will love our fellow-believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I ask before our father God and his son our Lord Jesus Christ that they will help you and pity you and cause you to be well off in your head-hearts (be at peace) because you are acquainted with what is true and you love your fellows each of you the other.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My siblings, we all believe the same true Word, and also we love one another. And will remain in our hearts God’s blessing, and God’s favor, and continually will rest our hearts God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to us and will have pity on us and quiet ourhearts. And truly they love us.”
  • Garifuna: “From within the true belief and love, God the one who is (our) Father will give kindness to you, pity/compassion, and tranquility (peace). Also (our) owner (our Lord) Jesus Christ the one who is (our) Father’s offspring will give it.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:14:

  • Uma: “If we love our relatives, we know that we have been freed from death and we have received good life forever. People who don’t love their relatives, they have not yet been freed from death.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) know that now we (incl.) are no longer as if (figuratively) dead but we (incl.) really live. We (incl.) know this because we (incl.) love now our (incl.) fellow-men. The one who does not love, he is still as if figuratively dead.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that long ago what we were able to expect was death forever. And we know also that now we have life forever. The reason we know this is because our companions are now very dear in our breath. Anyone whose companions are not dear in his breath can still expect death forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Never-mind, because we know that we will not be separated from God as (we were) previously, but rather from now on we have life that has no end. We know that that is true, because we love our companions who believe. For the one who doesn’t love his fellow human-beings, it’s like he is still dead, because he is still separated from God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But it’s clear to us that as for us, we are no longer like dead in the sight of God, but rather we are now being given life which is without ending. We know this because we now really value our siblings in believing. As for the one who doesn’t yet value like this, it’s like he is still under the jurisdiction of death.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Before it seemed we lived, but it was like as though we were dead. Now we have met up with new life because we love our brethren. He who does not love his brethren seems to live yet it is like as though he were dead.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Because we love our fellows therefore we know we are no longer with our head-hearts like a dead person as we were before. We have eternal life now. If we do not love our fellows then we are still like dead people with our head-hearts.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know that we have left the road of death, and we have taken the road of life. This we know because we love our siblings. He who has no love resides in the power (dominion) of death.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because we love the brethren, therefore we know that we have left behind that we die. We now belong to it, that we live forever. If we don’t love the brethren, it is because we still belong to it, that we die.”
  • Garifuna: “We are dead. Now we have come to possess life. We know it because we love our own kind ones (brethren). The one who does not love his own kind ones, he is still here (existing) in death.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “He himself (God) having led us dwellers in-death over, then placed us in life. Surely we know that by the fact that we love our brothers. One who doesn’t know love is still dwelling in death (habitually).”
  • Yanesha’: “Now we love our countrymen, that’s why we know already we have gone beyond there where we used to be in a mortal state, already we have arrived all where we will not be in a mortal state. The one who does not love his countrymen still he remains there in mortal state.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘Although I die surely always I will live,’ we say, because we love our brother. He who does not love another he will not always live.”
  • Murui Huitoto: “It is like (as though) we died a long time ago. Because we love our brothers we are now alive, that we know. The one who does not love his brother is as though he is still dead.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (2 John 1:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:13:

  • Uma: “Many greetings from all the children of your (sing.) female relative here, who is chosen by God. Finish here.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The children of your sibling send word that they love/remember you. Wassalam” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The children of your sister here who are also chosen by God send you greetings.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The children of the woman who is your (sing.) sibling/cousin whom God also chose greet you (pl.). Only this is what I am able to say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You (sing.) are greeted by the children of your (sing.) sister who also has been chosen by God like you (sing.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Also greeting you are the sons of our sister who also is chosen by God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The children of your sister, greet you. Your sister also and her children have been chosen and God has saved them. Amen.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “They send their greetings the children of your sister (a woman’s sister), she also chosen of God. This is what I tell you now.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “The children of your sister (term for spiritual sister, not relative) whom God chose send greetings to you (sg.). Amen.”
  • Garifuna: “Your (younger) sister’s children/offspring greet you, the one (feminine) whom God chose. Here is the end of my writing to you. (A closing greeting that is used in the culture).” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:18:

  • Uma: “My children, let’s not be loving in lips only, let’s not say that we love our relatives and we not do anything to help them. We [should be] loving with our behavior, for that is really true love.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “My children-grandchildren, don’t let us (incl.) just love with words/speech. But if we (dual) say we (dual) love our (dual) fellow-man, we (dual) should make our (dual) words true/confirm/verify them and cause good deeds to accompany (the words) toward them (the fellow-men).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My dear children, it’s necessary that our love for our companions is not just mere words, but rather it is necessary that we show our love for them by means of our actions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You who are my children, our manner-of-loving our companions, it should not be merely in our words only, but rather it should be from-the-heart and it should be shown in what we are doing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You who are like my children, what is good is, we are not just saying that we value one other, but rather we are showing through what we are doing that this valuing of ours is true.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, only let it not come from your mouths that we love our fellowmen, rather let it be apparent that we truly love, let us help our fellowmen.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, we must not love our fellows just with words. We should not just say we love our fellows, but we must love them wholeheartedly and help our fellows.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, let us not just talk about love, but let us really do it.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, don’t let it be in vain we say that we love each other, don’t let’s lie. Let our work appear that we love each other really and truly.”
  • Garifuna: “My children. Let us love each other, not just that which is speaking nor just that which we say. Let us love one another genuinely, that which we show by means of what we do.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Children, listen! No more of this only loving with our mouths. Let’s completely love each other with all of our hearts.”
  • Yanesha’: “Let’s not, my little ones, love one another with all words, just from our mouth. We cause to appear our love, completely of a truth, therein whatever we do.”
  • Aguaruna: “Little children, let’s love one another., but not just saying it, for nothing talking; truly let’s help each other, for nothing with the mouth only, not talking, rather let’s complete it.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (3 John 1:1)

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

  • Uma: “This letter is from me the Elder, I send it to my friend Gayus, whom I truly love.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This letter/writing is from me the Elder of the trusters in Isa Almasi, I send this to you Gayus, my friend whom I love.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for me the old person, I write to you, Gaius, my friend whom I hold very dear.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My esteemed Gaius, I who have written this, it’s Juan who is a leader of the believers. My love for you (sing.) who are my friend is from-the-heart. May your (sing.) life there be good and your (sing.) body also be strong like the strength of your (sing.) faith.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “My friend Gayo whom I truly hold dear, there-with-you is my letter, I who am the senior-elder.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I lead in relation to God’s word, I greet you my dear friend Gayo. I truly love you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I in my old age am writing to you dear Gayo. Truly I love you.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “I am the Old-Man Leader, I am sending this paper to you, dear Gaius, loved one. And also I love you in regards to the true Word which we (dual) believe.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “I am an old man. I am writing this letter to a friend of mine, (whose) name is Gayo, whom I truly love.”
  • Garifuna: “I, an elderly person, write to my friend the one named Gayo (necessary to avoid the connotation of writing to a rooster), the one whom I love. I love you with all my heart (genuine love).” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:19:

  • Uma: “If we love our relatives, that is a sign so that we really know that we are God’s children, with the result that our hearts will be still/quiet to face him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If we (dual) truly love our (incl.) fellow-men that is a sign that we (dual) follow the true teaching therefore it is peaceful in our (dual) livers in the presence of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if we do this, we (incl.) can know that we really are sons of the true God. And because of that, it is no longer necessary for us to be ashamed in his presence,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If that is how we love-one-another, that’s how we know that it’s true that we have been joined to God. And even if our minds accuse us, we can nonetheless cause-our minds -to-be-peaceful so that we will not be ashamed to pray to him. For we know that God’s thoughts are higher/more-important than our thoughts and he totally knows everything. He knows that we have been joined to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore herein we will know that as for us, we are under the jurisdiction of truth which comes from God. And therein also, our heads will not now be troubled when approaching him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If we truly love our fellowmen, then we know for sure that we do what is said in what is truly God’s word. Then we have peace of heart because God will not be angry with us.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We know that we are children of God, if we love our fellows with all our hearts. And if there are times when we think in our head-hearts that we are not worthy for God to say”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And if we really have love, we will know that we follow the true Word. And our hearts will rest before the face of God.”
  • Tzotzil: “Because if we love each other thus we know that we have really and truly believed. Therefore we are one-hearted (at peace) in the presence of God.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Therefore by that we can recognize our own hearts, if we live truly (cause-to-be-true as-we-live). We can pacify our hearts by means of Jesus.”
  • Yanesha’: “Here, therein we know that we are true. Let us make happy our hearts in his presence.”
  • Aguaruna: “If we do like that, ‘I belong to Christ, he who is the truth.’ we are able to say. If our heart telling us it does not condemn us, we stay (live, are) happy (content) in Him,” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Garifuna: “If we love each other thus, then we know that we are in (progressive) (united to) the true belief (faith). Also then there is tranquillity with our hearts before God. (we are not worried, upset).” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)