Language-specific Insights

What is impossible for mortals is possible for God

The Greek that is translated as “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God” in English is translated in Nivaclé as “What is impossible with men is possible for God.”

In one printed edition of that New Testament in 1969, however, the Nivaclé translation of Napi nivacle yisasinatjop pa lhech lhjunash, lhan’e ja Dios nisaseemjop was misprinted as Napi nivacle yisasinatjop pa lhech lhjunash, lhan’e ja Dios nisaeemjop (note the missing second “s” in nisaeemjop). Unfortunately this misprint also had some meaning: “What is impossible with men is impossible for God.”

(Source: Roger Omanson in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 432ff. )