Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 15:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 15:2:

  • Uma: “‘Why do your (sing.) disciples transgress the custom of our (incl.) elders? They just go ahead and eat, they do not wash-hands first according to the rules/laws.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Why don’t your disciples follow the teachings of our (incl.) forefathers? They eat even though they have not washed their hands causing-them-to be-ritually-clean.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They asked Jesus, ‘Your disciples, why do they disobey the teachings that were left to us by our ancestors? For your disciples, they don’t wash their hands in the proper way before they begin to eat.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Why do your (sing.) disciples break the customs that we inherited from our ancestors? There they are eating and they did not follow (implied: beforehand) the correct way to wash-hands.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Why don’t your disciples obey our (incl.) handed-down teachings of our (incl.) ancestors? For they eat without having washed their hands according to that teaching.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “‘How come your learners ignore the word left us by the old-time people? Because they do not wash the sin off which their hands have by washing before they eat.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Ese Ejja: “Why don’t they wash their hands before eating? They are disobeying the Jewish church rules.” (Source: Joyce A. Prettol in Notes on Translation, 1984, p. 15ff.)