Language-specific Insights

the Way

The Greek that is often translated in English as “the Way,” referring to the young church in Acts, is translated in a number of ways:

  • Isthmus Mixe: “those who follow the good words about Jesus Christ”
  • Morelos Nahuatl; “the Jews who followed that man Jesus
  • Lalana Chinantec: “the people who took the trail of Jesus”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “all who believed on Jesus”
  • Rincón Zapotec: “those who had received as truth Christ’s word”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “those who walk in the road of the Lord”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “who believed that message” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Elhomwe: “those who lived according to the Way of the Lord” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Christian(ity)”

In the Mandarin Chinese Union Version, the most commonly used Protestant Chinese Bible, it is translated as zhèdào (这道) or “this way.” Note that dào (道) or “way” is the same word that is also used for Logos (usually “Word” in English) in John 1:1 and elsewhere (see Word / Logos).

spirit of divination

The Greek in Acts 16:16 that is translated in English as “(she had a) spirit of divination” or similar is translated in Morelos Nahuatl as “in that girl’s heart lived a demon. That demon could say what was going to happen before it happened,” in Lalana Chinantec as “she carried an evil spirit. Therefore she was able to make words ahead of time as to what would happen,” or in Coatlán Mixe as “she has a devil with her with which she foretells.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Yalunka an existing local term for “spirit of divination” is used: ninginangana. (Source: Pruett 2014, p. 259)

See also divination

eternal life

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The Greek that is translated in English as “eternal life” is translated in various ways:

Lloyd Peckham explains the Mairasi translation: “In secret stories, not knowable to women nor children, there was a magical fruit of life. If referred to vaguely, without specifying the specific ‘fruit,’ it can be an expression for eternity.”

See also eternity / forever and salvation.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Eternal Life in John .

gave up his spirit

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The Greek in John 19:30 that is often translated as “he gave up his spirit” in English is translated in a variety of ways:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “And then he died”
  • Aguaruna: “His breath went out”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “He gave back his spirit”
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “He breathed his last”
  • Chol: “He caused his spirit to leave him”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “He sent away his life breath” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Kankanaey: “He entrusted his spirit to God” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He released his spirit” (lit. caused it to spring away) (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Uma: “His spirit/breath broke” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “His breath snapped” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Indonesian Common Language Translation: “His breath was cut off” (source: Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 209ff. )
  • Mandarin Chinese (Union Version): “He gave (or: delivered) his soul to God”
  • Cantonese: “He breathed his last (斷氣) and died” (source for this and one above: Zetzsche)
  • German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) as “He handed over the spirit” (übergab den Geist).

in the last days

The Greek in Acts 2:17 that is translated as “in the last days” in English is translated as

  • “there will be a day” (Eastern Highland Otomi)
  • “when the world is about to turn around” (Isthmus Mixe)
  • “when the time comes that the sky will soon perish” (Lalana Chinantec)
  • “when it will nearly be time for the world to come to an end” (Chichimeca-Jonaz)
  • “while the last day is near” (Tzotzil)
  • “close to when the end comes” (Huichol) (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • “at the [time of] the end of the world (Uma) (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • “day later and very much later” (Bariai) (source: Bariai Back Translation)

your blood be on your own heads

The Hebrew and Greek that is often translated as “your blood be on your own heads” or similar in English is translated as

  • “you have the guilt if you don’t receive eternal life” in Highland Popoluca
  • “you are to blame if you lose your own souls” in Coatlán Mixe
  • “you will be to blame yourselves when you do not go to a good place” in Isthmus Mixe
  • “you will be lost but you are at fault yourselves” in Morelos Nahuatl
  • “you are the ones who are guilty that you will be lost” in Lalana Chinantec (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • “if you die in your bad deeds, it’s your own bad fault” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “let your own blood alone eat you” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • “You have killed yourselves with your own heart” in Chichewa (source: Wendland 1987, p. 28)
  • “your blood will be to you” (existing idiom) in Kwere (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

full of grace

The Greek in Acts 6:8 that is typically translated as “full of grace” in English is translated in the following ways:

See also complete verse (Acts 6:8).

our own native language

The Greek in Acts 2:8 that is translated as “our own native language” or similar in English is translated as “the language we know when we were children” in Eastern Highland Otomi, “as we talk from when we were born” in Morelos Nahuatl, “the Chinantec we have spoken since we were small” in Lalana Chinantec, and “language we began to understand when still a baby” in Chichimeca-Jonaz. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

See also complete verse (Acts 2:8).