The Greek that is translated in English is translated in Bambam as “food of life” since “bread is considered a light and unnecessary snack.” (Source: Phil Campbell in Kroneman 2004, p. 500) Similarly, Huehuetla Tepehua has “that food that gives eternal life” and Aguaruna has “the food that gives eternal life.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
In Chol, it is translated as Joñon Wajo, the “waj (tortilla) of life.” John Beekman (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 180f. ) explains: “The word ‘bread’ in Scripture primarily occurs as either a specific term for bread (including the Lord’s Supper), or as a generic term for food. It is not surprising, however, the some aboriginal groups use something other than bread as the staff of life. The Chols, with their cultural focus in the cultivation of corn, use waj, a type of thin corn flake. Since a meal is not complete without this main item of food, the term has been extended to include any other foods which may be served along with waj. While bread is known to them, its use is limited to a few occasions during the year when it functions as a dessert. In translating this term in the Chol New Testament, consistent use has been made of the word waj whenever the function of bread as a basic food was in focus. John 6:35, “I am the bread of life,” was thus translated with this word. If the word for bread had been used, it was feared that the Chol would compare Christ to the desirable, but not absolutely necessary, dessert.”
Originally, the translation in Tsafiki used “plantain of life,” plantains being the primary food source and bread virtually unknown by Tsáchila people. For a current revision this is in the process of being changed to “bread of life,” because bread is now widely known and used. (Source: Carol Shaw)
The Greek that is translated as “cup” in English is translated in Chol as vaso i yejtal bʌ wocol: “glass which is the picture of affliction.”
Wilbur Aulie (in The Bible Translator 1957, p. 109ff. ) explains: “Whatever the precise meaning of ‘cup’ may be in these verses may never be agreed upon, but in the Septuagint it is used metaphorically of adversity and divine punishment. In these verses we used a Spanish borrowing vaso ‘glass’ and added the explanatory phrase, ‘which is the picture of wocol‘. Wocol has a rather wide range of meaning, including affliction, trial, punishment, and retribution. The term vaso was preferred to copa, which is regularly used by Spanish-speaking Christians, since Chol Christians understand copa to be a small glass of intoxicating drink.”
The Greek that is translated (or transliterated) in English as “sponge” is translated in Chol as “water absorber” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation, March 1965, p. 2ff.), in Mairasi as “coral flower” (source: Enggavoter 2004), and in Bariai as “sea sponge” (source: Bariai Back Translation).
The Greek that is translated as “(the) Holy Spirit fell upon (them)” in English is translated in Chol as “the Holy Spirit was given in their hearts.”
Wilbur Aulie (in The Bible Translator 1957, p. 109ff. ) explains: “Anthromorphisms may be easily misunderstood by Chol readers. The expression ‘the Holy Spirit fell on them’ is understood by some as referring to a bodily fall of the Spirit. Because of the literal-minded reader it was rendered: ‘The Holy Spirit was given in their hearts’. This change was not made without misgivings, however, for as someone else has observed, there is always an element of uncertainty in exegesis.”
The Greek and Hebrew terms that are translated as “hypocrite” in English typically have a counterpart in most languages. According to Bratcher / Nida (1961, p. 225), they can be categorized into the following categories:
those which employ some concept of “two” or “double”
those which make use of some expression of “mouth” or “speaking”
those which are based upon some special cultural feature
those which employ a non-metaphorical phrase
Following is a list of (back-) translations from some languages:
Mazahua: “have a swollen mouth” (from too much speaking)
Tai Dam: “have a straight mouth and a crooked heart”
Kongo: “the bitterness of white” (an idiom based on the fact that white-wash looks nice but tastes bitter)
Merina Malagasy: “spread a clean carpet” (an expression used in Madagascar to describe one who covers up the dirt of an unswept floor just before the arrival of guests)
Zanaki: “those who make themselves out to be good”
Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “those who deceive” (this and all examples above acc. to Bratcher / Nida 1961, p. 225)
Kafa: “one who makes as if his belly is clean” (source: Loren Bliese)
Bauzi: “good on top person” (source: David Briley in Kroneman (2004), p. 502)
Tibetan: kha chos pa (ཁ་ཆོས་པ།), lit. “mouth + religion + person” (used for instance in Matt. 7:5) or sgyu zog can (སྒྱུ་ཟོག་ཅན།), lit. “deception + fraud + person” (used for instance in Matt. 24:51) (source: gSungrab website )
Low German: “actor in a comedy” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006)
Lélé: ne kub so or “make mouth two” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The Latvian term liekulis was likely coined by the Bible translation of Ernst Glück (1654–1705) in the late 17th century and is still being used today (source ).
The English version of Sarah Ruden (2021) uses “play-actor.” She explains (p. li): “A hupokrites is fundamentally an actor. The word has deep negativity in the Gospels on two counts: professional actors were not respectable people in the ancient world, and traditional Judaism did not countenance any kind of playacting. I write ‘play-actor’ throughout.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “stumbling-stone” or “stone that makes them stumble” in English had to be translated carefully in Chol. John Beekman (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 180ff. ) explains: “When translating for the Chols, the translator was aware that the phrase ‘stone of stumbling’ could refer to a specific stone found on the trail to the town of Ococingo, Chiapas, Mexico. Those who came to this rock with aching muscles from long hours of weary walking with heavy loads believed that by striking their foot against this rock they would be strengthened for the remainder of the trip and would not stumble along the way. It therefore became important to translate these two passages avoiding any ambiguity as to whether this rock prevented or occasioned stumbling.”
The now commonly-used German idiom Stein des Anstoßes (literally “stumbling-stone”) was coined in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. It is now widely used as “bone of contention” or “stumbling block.” (Source: Günther 2017, p. 108) For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
In Latvian, the phrase piedauzības akmens or “stone of abuse” has become part of the standard lexicon with the meaning of “disgrace,” goes back to the 1682 New Testament translation by Ernst Glück (source: Pēteris Vanags in Glück’s landmark translation of the Bible into Latvian ).
The Greek in John 14:6 that is translated as “no one comes to the father, but by me” is translated in various ways:
Huehuetla Tepehua: “one can’t go to my Father unless he is saved by me”
Aguaruna: “no one, just by himself, is able to arrive where my Father is, but with me he is able to arrive”
Asháninka: “no one just goes to my Father. I am the one who will take you”
Yanesha’: “no one approaches to where Father is if they do not first come to me”
Chol: “there is no one who will arrive where my Father is, except those who are in my care
Alekano: “by passing me there is no way to approach my Father” (source for this and above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Kupsabiny “nobody can go to my Father’s Homestead if he does not pass through me” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “There’s no-one who can go there to God the Father unless I am the trail he travels” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Only those who believe in me will arrive where my Father is” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
