The Greek in Acts 18:24 that is often translated as “eloquent” in English is translated as “very fluent speaker” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, as “preached well” in Isthmus Mixe and Lalana Chinantec, as “had a beautiful way to talk” in Morelos Nahuatl, and as “really able to speak” Chichimeca-Jonaz. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Language-specific Insights
Son of God
The Greek and Latin that is translated as “Son of God” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo as “God’s Child” and in Garifuna as “God’s offspring.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Nida (1984, p. 113) remarks on this “It was a common expression in Hebrew to say that someone was the ‘Son of…’ something to express that they shared characteristics with that thing etc. E.g. ‘son of peace’ ‘son of thunder.’ Therefore ‘Son of God’ meant that Jesus shared characteristics with God. This wasn’t carried over into Greek and was interpreted more biologically.”
In San Mateo Del Mar Huave it is translated as “Son of Father God,” where “Father” is a term of respect. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御) is used as in mi-ko (御子) or “son (of God)” in the referenced verses. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
See also Son of Man and Sons of Thunder.
heart is not right before God
The Greek in Acts 8:21 that is translated in English as “heart is not right before God” or similar is translated as “heart not fixed up before the face of God” in Eastern Highland Otomi, as “your heart and soul do not meet the requirements that God wants” in Isthmus Mixe, as “heart not good with God” in Lalana Chinantec, or as “you are not one heart together with God” in San Mateo del Mar Huave. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
exorcist
The Greek in Acts 19:13 that is translated as “exorcist” in English is translated as “people who said that they had the power to take out the demons from the people” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, as “people who understand magic words” in Lalana Chinantec, as “witch doctors” in Isthmus Mixe, and as “men casting out evil spirits” in Teutila Cuicatec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
something like scales
The Greek in Acts 9:18 that is translated as “something like scales” in English is translated in Teutila Cuicatec as “something that looked like hail,” and in San Mateo del Mar Huave as “like a cloud.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
See also scales falling from eyes.
practice magic
The Greek in Acts 19:19 that is translated as “practice magic” in English is translated practiced as “know magic words” in Lalana Chinantec, “reading the paper belonging to the demons” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, and “practice witchcraft” in Teutila Cuicatec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
fellowship
The Greek that is translated in English as “fellowship” or “communion” is translated in Huba as daɓǝkǝr: “joining heads.” (Source: David Frank in this blog post )
Other translations include:
- Lalana Chinantec: “they were very happy since they were with their brothers”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz “always well they talk together”
- Chuj: “were at peace with each other”
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “they accompanied the other believers”
- Ayutla Mixtec: “they were united together”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “their hearts were happy because they all thought alike” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Uma: “harmony” (source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “become one” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “have an intimate relationship” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “companionship” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “be friends” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “head-hearts are one”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “be of the same mind” (source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 1ff.)
creeping things / reptiles
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “reptiles” or “creeping things” or similar is translated as “those which crawl along upon their stomach” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, “those that crawl the way they travel” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, and “animals that crawl on the ground” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Nyamwezi it is translated as as vitundwa vya ku’yu’mba or “creatures that move.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
See also every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature and four-footed creatures and reptiles.
The Hebrew words zachal and remes literally mean “creeping [things]” or “crawling [things]”, which is the Hebrew way of referring to small unclean creatures, reptiles in particular. The Greek word herpeton is also a general word for reptile; it includes snakes and lizards. All of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words usually exclude fish.
The Hebrew words carry the connotation of uncleanness.
In languages which have a word meaning “reptile”, this will fit most contexts. In languages which do not, phrases such as “snakes and lizards”, “wriggling things”, and so forth could be used.
Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)