Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:54-65:
Peter kept his distance after Jesus was arrested
and led away to the house of the high priest.
Some people were sitting around a fire
in the courtyard of the house, and Peter joined them.
“This man was with Jesus!” blurted out a servant girl.
“I don’t even know the guy!” insisted Peter.
“You’re one of them!” someone said with a smirk.
“Not me!” denied Peter.
An hour or so later, another man swore,
“This man was with Jesus—they’re both from Galilee.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
came Peter’s denial.
At that very moment, while Peter was still speaking,
he heard the sound of a rooster crowing.
The Lord looked in Peter’s direction,
and Peter remembered those solemn words,
“Before a rooster crows tomorrow morning,
you’ll say three times you don’t even know me.”
Peter left and wept bitterly.
Meanwhile, the guards insulted and struck Jesus.
They put a blindfold on him and sneered as they said,
“Tell us who hit you?”
And this was not the worst they did to him.
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 1:8-1:14:
- Noongar: “But Naomi said to the two women, ‘You two, return to the houses of your mothers. May God bless you as you have blessed me and your dead husbands. May God bless and give you safety in the houses of your new husbands.’ She kissed them and they wept. They both said to her, ‘No, we will go with you to your people’. But Naomi said, ‘Go back to your homes, my daughters. Why will you come with me? I can have other sons in my womb, can I? They can become your husband, can they? Return, my daughters. I am an old woman. I am too old to marry another man. If I married today, and bore sons, you would wait for them to grow up, would you? And will you not marry other men? No, my daughters. This is more bitter for me, much more than for you, because the hand of God is hurting me.’ So they wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
- Eastern Bru: “While they were beginning to go on the way there, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law: ‘Now you go back to your original homes. I will pray to God to give you blessings, because you have loved me and you have loved your deceased husbands. Surely God will give you both to live in peace and have new husbands and families.’ When she had finished saying that, Naomi kissed her two daughters-in-law. Then they all cried together. But the two daughters-in-law said: ‘Not that, Mother! We want to go together with you, and go to your family.’ But Naomi answered them: ‘Why do you want to follow me? Do you think I can have other sons who could become your husbands? So, daughters-in-law, you both go back to your original families, because I am already old. I can not have another husband. If I had a husband this afternoon, and if I could bear more sons, do you want to wait for those sons to become adults? Could you wait that long? And would you not seek other husbands until my children were big enough for you to take them as your husbands? No, daughters-in-law. In my heart I feel sad for you, because God has done this to me.’ After that they wept together again. And Orpha kissed her mother-in-law and left her. But Ruth did not leave her mother-in-law.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “’And may the LORD grant that you(pl) could-marry again so-that you(pl) could-settle in your(pl) new home.’ Then Noemi kissed them. They wept aloud and said to Noemi, ‘We(excl) will-go with you(sg) when you(sg) return to your(sg) fellow-countrymen.’ But Noemi said, ‘You(pl) return-home to your-(own place), children. Why would- you(pl) still -come-with me? Do- you(pl) -think I can-marry again and can-give-birth to males whom you(pl) could-marry? That would/could- not -happen because I am old now. But for instance I could-marry tonight and some-time-later can- still -give-birth, then-what, are you(pl) going-to-wait until they had-grown-up? You(pl) would not marry yet just because of them? (It is) not possible, children. The truth (is), my life is more bitter than yours(pl), because the LORD causes- me -to-suffer.’ They wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and went-back-home,b but Ruth on-the-other-hand remained with Noemi.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “Then as the three of them were walking, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Each of you should turn around and go back to your mother’s home. You treated your husbands kindly before they died, and you have treated me kindly. Now I desire that Yahweh will enable each of you to have another husband in whose home you will feel secure.’ Then she kissed both of them, and they cried aloud. They each said, ‘No, we want to go with you as you return to your relatives.’ But Naomi said, ‘No, my daughters, return home. [It will not do any good for you to come with me!/What good will it do for you to come with me?] Do you think I will get married again and have more sons who could become your husbands? Even if I thought I could have another husband, and even if I got married today and became pregnant tonight and later gave birth to sons, would you remain single/unmarried until they grew up and became old enough for you to marry? No, my daughters, you would not do that. Your situations are bad because your husbands have died, but it is possible that you will each marry again. My situation is much worse, because Yahweh has opposed me, and now I am too old to get married again.’ Then Ruth and Orpah cried again because of what Naomi said. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, and left, but Ruth clung to Naomi.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 5:17-20:
Don’t dream that I came to do away with your precious Bible!
I came to give full meaning to its every word
and make everything happen, just as it says.
Fact is, before even a syllable is erased from the Bible,
heaven and earth will have to first disappear.
So if you want an important place with the Great Rewarder,
obey and teach others to obey the Bible’s every teaching.
Otherwise, you’ll have no standing within the Kingdom.
Do better than those self-righteous, religious snobs,
or you’ll be snubbed by the Great Rewarder!
Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Mark 12:13-17:
Some theologians and politicians got together
and sent a committee to trick Jesus
into making a false statement.
“Teacher,” they said, “you’re absolutely honest,
you don’t show favoritism,
and you’re straight forward about God’s demands.
One small matter: Should we pay taxes to the government?”
Jesus knew what they were up to, so he replied
“Don’t try to play power politics with me!
Show me a coin of the state.”
They handed him a coin, and he asked,
“Whose face is on this coin?
What are these buildings?”
“It’s the face of our ruler,” they answered,
“and our national headquarters.”
“Then pay the government what you owe,” said Jesus,
“and give God what belongs to God.”
The entire committee stood there amazed.
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:21-23:
- Noongar: “Then Ruth of Moab said, ‘He also told me, ‘Stay close to my workers until they stop harvesting all my wheat’.’ Naomi told Ruth, her son’s wife, ‘This is better, my daughter. You must work near his young women because people might hurt you in another wheat field.’ So Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s young women until they finished gathering wheat. She lived in the home of her mother-in-law.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
- Eastern Bru: “And Ruth, the Moabite said: ‘Boaz told me: ‘You stay near the people who work for me until the day they finish harvesting for me.’‘ Then Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law: ‘Very good, child! You go always with the people who work for Boaz. Don’t go to any other field. If you go to another field maybe they will do badly to you.’ Then Ruth went always with the people who worked for Boas until they finished harvesting the grain. And she continued to live with her mother-in-law.” And Naomi said: ‘Surely this person is from our clan also very near to us.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Ruth said to Noemi, “Boaz even said to me that I should- only -go-with his men to glean until all his harvest will-be-finished.” Noemi said to Ruth, “Child, it-would-be-good if you(sg) go with his female servant, because something might happen to you(sg)/[lit. because might/possibly if what-(ever) else the will-happen to you(sg)] in another field.” So Ruth went-with the female servant of Boaz. She gleaned the heads-of-grain until the season/time-of-harvest of barley and wheat was finished. And she continued to live with her mother-in-law.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “Then Ruth said, ‘He also said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they have finished harvesting all my grain.’’ Naomi replied, ‘My daughter, it will be good for you to go to his field with his servant girls, because if you go to someone else’s field, someone might harm/molest you.’ So Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s servant girls while she was working. She gathered stalks of grain until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest were finished. During that time she lived with Naomi.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 6:25-34:
I tell you not to worry about food, drink, or clothes!
Life is more than what you eat and wear.
Birds don’t plant or harvest,
yet your Father above takes care of them,
and you are worth much more than a flock of birds.
You may think the more you worry, the longer you live.
That’s simply not so.
Why worry about what you will wear?
Even royalty looks drab beside daffodils and regal lilies,
yet God colors and clothes the wild flowers,
even though they will wither in the summer heat.
Why do you have such little faith? God will take care of you.
Worry — wearisome worry about food, drink, and clothes —
Only a heathen would nurture such worries.
Put God first in everything you do and worry no more,
then all your needs will be met.
Why worry about tomorrow? Today is worrisome enough.
Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 15:1-7:
A mixed crowd — some politically incorrect
and others simply street scum —
were hanging around, listening to Jesus teach.
A group of religious snobs came up and started griping,
“This guy goes around with the wrong crowd,
and he even eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this story:
What would you do, if you had a hundred sheep,
and one of them wandered off?
Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine out in the field
and look for the lost sheep, until you found it?
Sure you would, and you’d be so glad when it was found
that you’d throw it on your shoulder and carry it home.
Then you’d say to your friends, “Let’s celebrate!
I’ve found my lost sheep.”
“That’s how it is with God,” declared Jesus.
“God gets more excited over one person
who has a change of heart
than over ninety-nine self-righteous bigots.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 4:14-15:
- Noongar: “All the women said to Naomi, ‘We praise God because this day he will not leave you childless and he will not leave your family with no new right-man. May he become famous in Israel. This man will give you life. When you are old, he will look after you, because your daughter loves you and she has born you this son and she is better for you than seven sons.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
- Eastern Bru: “The women in the town said to Naomi: ‘Praise God, he has given you a grandson. We pray that God will give this child great authority so that everyone in Israel will know his name. And we pray that your heart will become like a young person thanks to your having this grandson. And that your grandson will have a heart to provide for you your entire life. Surely this child is the child of your daughter-in-law who loves you very much. Your daughter-in-law is is better to you that seven sons.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “The women said to Noemi, ‘Praise the LORD! He gave you(sg) today a grandchild to take-care of you(sg). May he become famous in Israel! He will-strengthen and take-care of you(sg) when you(sg) are now very old, for he is the child of your(sg) daughter-in-law who really loves you(sg) much more than the love of the seven male children.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The women of Bethlehem said to Naomi, ‘Praise Yahweh! Now he has given you a grandson who will be the one who will have the responsibility to take care of you. We hope that he will become famous throughout Israel. He will make you feel young again, and he will take care of you when you become old. Your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to a son, who will be better to/do more for you than if you had seven sons of your own.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
