In certain languages some types of possession simply cannot be used. For example in Hopi one cannot speak of [what is translated in English as] “(Yahweh) my God,” for God cannot be possessed. One must say, “the God in whom I believe.” (p. 206)
See also LORD your God / Lord your God.
The Greek in Romans 16:18 that is translated as “simple-minded” or similar in English is translated as “those who still don’t know well the truth” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “those who don’t know how to decide” in Tzeltal, and as “those who are gullible” in Hopi. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek in Romans 8:39 that is translated in English as “nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” or similar is translated into Tezoatlán Mixtec as “And nothing that God has made is able to cause that God stops loving us, for He shows His great love for us through what Jesus Christ, our Lord, did for us.” (Source: John Williams in the Seeing Scripture Anew blog.)
Just the latter part (“separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”) is translated as “make God forget us so that he won’t love us who have put our confidence in our chief Jesus Christ” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “God on account of Jesus Christ our Lord loves us. And therefore nothing which is made can tear us away from him.” in Hopi, and as “cause that God should lose his grip on us because God loves us thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek in Romans 1:4 that is translated as “(he was) declared to be Son of God with power” or similar is translated into various languages as:
(Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek in Romans 1:18 that is translated as “all ungodliness” in English is translated as “those who don’t think anything of God” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “all those who don’t pay attention to him” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “all people who don’t believe in him” in Sayula Popoluca, as “all who do not pay attention to what God says” in Sierra de Juárez Zapotec, and as “those who do not respect him” in Hopi. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek in Romans 1:27 that is translated as “were consumed with passion for one another” or similar in English is translated as “became dark in their hearts by a lustful heart toward one another” in Hopi, as “only exceedingly desired to do evil in a different way with other men” in Central Tarahumara, and as “with ardent desire doing what is not good” in Sierra de Juárez Zapotec. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “heartless” in English is translated as “don’t love their fellows” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, as “don’t delight in people” in Hopi, and as “didn’t love like people should” in Huehuetla Tepehua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek in Romans 3:25 that is translated as “sacrifice of atonement,” “expiation,” or “propitiation” in English is translated as “substitute in paying for our sins” in Tzeltal, as “God arranged for him to (die and) take away sin” in Hopi, and “God gave him (to die in order) to pardon us” in Sayula Popoluca. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
In Ajië, it is translated by a term which referred to a leaf used in traditional religion to heal a wound after the proper sacrifices had been made. (Source: Smalley 1991, p. 57 and Clifford 1992, p. 83ff.)
See also propitiation / atoning sacrifice, expiation, and atonement.