Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Acts 2:39)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:39:

  • Uma: “Because God promised that he would give us the Holy Spirit, and to our descendants, even to people who are far away. This promise of God’s is for [lit., the portion of] all people whom our Lord, the Lord God, has called to be his followers.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For this is God’s promise hep to you Yahudi and to your descendants, and including also all in the far places, whoever is told/commanded by our (incl.) Leader God to follow him.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for us (incl.) and our (incl.) descendants, we (incl.) are the ones who were promised the Holy Spirit. And not just only us, but also those people who live a long way off, anyone whom God makes to believe in him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because that is what God promised to you and to your descendants and to them who are in distant countries, even any person whom God our Lord calls.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For this is what was promised to us all, including our children and people in far away places, as many as are called by God to submit to him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

    • Lalana Chinantec: “‘For God has said he is willing to give to you his Great Spirit. He will also give it to your sons. He will give it to people who live far away and to all the people whom our Lord has chosen.’ That’s what Peter said to the Israel people.”
    Morelos Nahuatl. “God wants to give his Holy Spirit to you and your children and to all those who are far away. All whom God calls he will give his Holy Spirit to them.”
    Isthmus Mixe: “For if you thus comply, you will be surely given the Holy Spirit. God previously said that he would thus truly give you. He wants to give him to you and your children and all the ones in a far place and who ever gets called to/by the Lord our God.” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Acts 11:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 11:16:

  • Uma: “From there, I remembered the words of the Lord that said: ‘Yohanes baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then I remembered what Isa had said. He said, hep ‘It was water what Yahiya bathed the people with, but you,’ Isa said, ‘what you will be bathed with is different. The Holy Spirit will be sent to you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then I remembered the word of our Lord Jesus who said, ‘Water is what John baptized people with, however your baptism will be: you will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And that was when-I-remembered what the Lord Jesus said previously that John baptized the people with water, but as-for us, we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “At that I remembered what the Lord had indeed said, saying, ‘Water is what Juan was baptizing with, but as for you, the Espiritu Santo is whom you will be baptized with.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Isthmus Mixe: “Then I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus when he said: ‘John really baptized by means of water. But God, God will baptize you differently. The Holy Spirit will then enter your hearts.'”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “So therefore I remembered the word that our Lord spoke back then when he said: ‘John used water when he baptized people back then, but the Great Spirit will enter your hearts; that’s the way you’ll be baptized,’ that’s what the Lord said back then.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Immediately I thought of the word of the Lord when he said: ‘John baptized your heads with water, but Jesus will cause you to receive the Holy Spirit in your hearts.'” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (John 1:45)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:45:

  • Uma: “From there, Filipus also went to meet-with his friend named Natanael, he said to him: ‘We have met [exclamation] the Redeemer King, like was written in the Book of the Law of Moses and the letters of the prophets long ago! His name is Yesus from Nazaret, the son of Yusuf!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Pilip looked for Natanael. When he found him, he told him, he said, ‘We (excl.) have found now the person that Musa told in the holy-book Tawrat about and also the prophets told about him in their writings. He is Isa the son of Yusup from the village Nasaret.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Philip, he went to Nathaniel and said, ‘We have seen the person that the prophets foretold long ago and that Moses foretold when he wrote in the book of the law. He is from Nazareth and he is Jesus the son of Joseph.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Now Felipe, he went and found Nataniel and said to him, ‘We (excl.) have found the person whom Moses wrote-about and the prophets also wrote-about. He is Jesus from-Nazaret the child of Jose.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That Felipe, he looked for a person named Natanael and told him, saying, ‘We (excl.) have found the one referred to in what Moises mentioned in the things he wrote and foretold also by the prophets in the things they wrote. It’s Jesus the taga Nazaret, the son of Jose-and-spouse.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Philip went to hunt for Nathanael. He told him: ‘We found the man who is spoken about in the Holy Book which Moses and the other prophets wrote. He is Jesus, who is from Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Following is a back-translation of John 1:45 from Lalana Chinantec: “Philip went off. He went to get Nathanael. Philip said to Nathaniel: ‘We have met a person about whom Moses spoke when he wrote on paper the word, the law of God. The people who preached the word of God in the olden times, also spoke about this person. Their words are written down on paper. Jesus a person from Nazareth is the name of the person they were speaking about back then. He is the son of Joseph,’ Philip said.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

complete verse (Acts 4:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:25:

  • Uma: “You (sing.) are the one who gave words to our (excl.) ancestor of old, King Daud. Because Daud was your (sing.) servant [lit., ordered-one], and while he was controlled by the Holy Spirit, his words foretold ahead-of-time the opposition of all people, opposing the Lord Yesus. He said like this: ‘Why are the people who are not Yahudi so angry? And why also do the crowds make-plans wanting to oppose the Lord God? Their plans have no purpose.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You caused your servant, Da’ud, our (excl.) forefather to speak and he was taught by the Holy Spirit what he spoke, he said, ‘Why are the non-Yahudi nations/tribes angry? Why do the people plan/agree to destroy but/and-what’s-more it was useless/there was no (good) result?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You are the one who said long ago through our ancestor, your servant King David, because when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he said, ‘Why are the people who aren’t Jews so angry? And why the Jews think about that which has no purpose?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You (sing.) moreover are the originator of the words (lit. word owner) that the Holy Spirit caused-David our (excl.) ancestor who served you (sing.) long-ago -to-write saying, ‘Why did the Gentiles become arrogant (lit. raise themselves) against God? Why did the descendants of Israel decide on a useless (lit. without use) plan to fight against him?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Through the inspiration by the Espiritu Santo, our (excl.) ancestor David spoke this which you caused him to speak, saying, ‘Why did the people who don’t acknowledge/recognize God become so angry? Why did people decide to do what is worthless/ineffective?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “By means of your Holy Spirit you caused David who obeyed your word to write: ‘Why are all the nations rising up? ‘Why are people thinking about useless things?'”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “The heart of your servant David obeyed what the Great Spirit of God wanted back then. He announced your word. He said: ‘Why is it that the other people very much make a fuss? Why is it that the Israel people think thoughts that are worthless?'” (Source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

See also Psalm 2:1 and Psalm 2:2.

complete verse (John 12:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:28:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Rather I will say, ‘Let people say that you are great.’ And when Jesus said this, that is when a word came from heaven which said. . . “
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Then he prayed, ‘Father, cause yourself to receive more honor.’ Then God who is in heaven spoke, saying to him, ‘I have caused myself to receive honor, and I will cause myself to receive more honor.'”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “‘My Father, do what is necessary so that people will worship you.’ That’s what Jesus said. So God spoke from heaven. He said, ‘I have done what is necessary so that people will worship me. I will also do it again,’ he said.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “I say like this: Father, make big your name(s)!’ From there, there was someone who spoke from the sky saying to Yesus: ‘I have already made big my name, and I will make it big again.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa spoke to God, he said, ‘O Father, honor/make great your name.’ Immediately there was a voice from the sky saying, ‘I have already honored/made great my name and I will make it great/honor it again.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus said to his Father God, he said, ‘Father, show the people your great power.’ And then there was a word which came from heaven which said, ‘I have already shown my power by means of you, and I will show it again.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then he said to God, ‘Father, please show your (sing.) godhood so that your (sing.) name will be honored.’ And there was a voice from heaven that said, ‘I have already shown-it and I will show-it again.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Jesus had said that, he said, ‘Father, show the big-size of your praiseworthiness/glory.’ There was a voice which the people heard, coming from heaven, which said, ‘I have already shown it, but I will show again my praiseworthiness/glory.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Then he said, ‘My Father. May it be known that you are the greatest.’ Then it was heard from above, ‘I have caused it to be known that I am the greatest. And again I will cause it to be known that I am the greatest.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 7:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:25:

  • Uma: “Musa thought [emphatic] that his relatives would know that he was the one God would use-as-hands to free them from their slavery. But they did not know.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He thought-mistakenly that his tribe/nation would understand that he was the one God would use to set them free, but they did not understand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Moses thought mistakenly that his companion Jews already understood that he was the one God had chosen to set them free from the Egyptians. However they didn’t understand it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Moses thought his companions would understand that he was the one God had chosen to set-them -free, but surprisingly they did not understand.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Moises mistakenly-thought that his own people would understand that he was the one God would use to release them from their slavery. But well, they didn’t understand.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Lalana Chinantec: “‘My companions realize,’ Moses thought, ‘they realize that God has sent me. They realize that I will save the people of Israel’. ‘That’s what Moses thought. But that was not what his companions thought.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Acts 2:44)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:44:

  • Uma: “All of those believers in Yesus, they were united/agreed. Their belongings they had in common.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “All who trusted in Isa were together, and whatever they had they shared/gave to each other if someone was in need.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The unity of the believers was strong. That person who had possessions, he gave also to his companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “All the believers were continuing to meet-together and share-with-each-other their possessions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the believers, what they did was, they were always/often gathering together and they were all really harmonious. They didn’t hold-back any of their possessions which were needed by their sibling in believing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Chuj: “All of them who had believed in Jesus were united in mind. Everything of theirs, one only they treated it (as common property).”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “The ones who had believed were working together. They owned everything together.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “All that believed followed one another and what they had they gave to one another.”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “All the people who believed the words of God were continually coming together; they were very kind to their companions. They never reserved for themselves all of their things.” (Source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Acts 22:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 22:20:

  • Uma: “So also, when your (sing.) witness Stefanus was killed, I was also there rejoicing that he was killed, and I was the one who watched the clothes of those who killed him.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And when the people killed Estepan, your witness, I was also there agreeing to that their deed and I was yet the one who watched over the clothes of the people who killed him.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they killed Stephen, that person who did not cherish his life here on the earth because of you, I was there because I agreed also to his being killed. I am the one whom the ones who killed him had watched their shirts.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They also know that I was made-happy at their killing of Esteban who confirmed-concerning you (sing.), because I was there guarding the clothes of the ones-who-killed-him,’ I said to the Lord.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And that killing of Esteban, your testifier, I was indeed there for I was also one of those agreeing with that sentence of theirs which was death. I also was the one who took care of the clothes of those who killed him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Lalana Chinantec: “‘When the blood of Stephen your witness poured out, I was standing alongside watching. They were doing well, they were doing the right thing, I thought back then. I guarded the clothes of the people who killed Stephen.’ That’s what I told the Lord.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)