The Greek in Matthew 22:11 that is translated as “who was not wearing a wedding robe” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “who was not using one of the festive garments that were freely available in the wardrobe.”
Language-specific Insights
knowledge
The Greek that is translated as “knowledge” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “theology” in these verses. The translators explain: “We have often translated the Greek word gnosis with ‘theology’ because it doesn’t refer to knowledge [Erkenntnis, also meaning ‘realization’] but to theological knowledge.”
See also wisdom.
the worlds
The Greek in Hebrews 11:3 that is translated as “the worlds” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Räume und Zeiten der Welt or “spaces and ages of the world.”
they sow the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind
The now commonly-used German idiom wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten (literally “whoever sows wind will reap a storm”), was originally not used exactly like that by Luther (he used wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten or “whoever sows wind will reap bad weather”) but is now used in its common form in many modern Bible translations, including the Luther Bible, starting in 1964. Today it’s used both as a threat and as a warning. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 114)
In Russian, the phrase is also widely used as an idiom. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 79)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
days of vengeance
The Greek in Luke 21:22 that is translated as “days of vengeance” or similar in English is translated in the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) as “days of creating justice.”
become one flesh
The Greek and Hebrew that is often translated into English as “(the two) shall become one flesh” is translated as “become just one” in Copainalá Zoque and San Mateo del Mar Huave or with existing idiomatic equivalents such as “become one blood” in Mitla Zapotec, “become the complement of each other’s spirit” in Tzeltal (source for this and above Bratcher / Nida), “become one body” in Uab Meto (source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 208ff. ), “tie with wife as one, so that they tie one insides” in Luang (source: Kathy and Mark Taber in Kroneman [2004], p. 539), or “become like one body-entity” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
In Tataltepec Chatino it is translated as “the two shall accompany each other so that they no longer seem two but are like one person,” in Choapan Zapotec as “when the man and woman live together in front of God, it is as if just one person,” and in Mezquital Otomi as “they aren’t two, it is as though they are one.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated with bilden eine neue Sippe or “form a new clan.” They explain (p. 417): “Usually ‘become one flesh.’ This is clearly not correct from a biological point of view. In the Old Testament, ‘flesh’ in such contexts means: ‘kinship, clan, family.’ So the idea is that the man gives up his clan and forms a new clan together with the married woman.”
See also I am your bone and flesh.
the Jews who were with her in the house
The Greek that is translated as “the Jews who were with her in the house” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as die jüdischen Freunde, die bei Maria zu Hause gewesen waren or “the Jewish friends who were with Mary at her house.” Likewise, in John 11:45, that translation also refers to “Jewish friends” at Mary’s house.
See also the Jews (people).
fig tree drops its winter fruit
The Greek in Revelation 6:13 that is translated as “fig tree drops its winter fruit” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as wie unreife Feigen vom Baum or “like unripe figs from the tree.”