The Greek and Ge’ez that is typically translated as “tempt” or “temptation” in English is translated in Noongar as djona-karra or “reveal conduct” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang) and in Tibetan as nyams sad (ཉམས་སད།), lit. “soul + test,” or in some cases as slu (སླུ།) or “lure / lead astray” (for instance in 1 Cor. 7:5 or Gal 6:1) (source: gSungrab website )
In Cherokee it is translated as “examined.” “‘Temptation’ is also translated using a traditional verb which means ‘to examine medically’ or ‘to interpret,’ as when divining or consulting a crystal. It expresses the idea that the tempted person is being ‘tested’ or examined.'” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)
In Kekchí, the word for “tempt” (alec) implies that the temptation was successful so here, especially in the narrative of Jesus’ temptation, the translation states that the temptation was unsuccessful (“Jesus never gave himself to be tempted”). (Source: Eachus 2006, p. 263)
The Greek, Ge’ez, Latin and Hebrew that is often translated as “repent” or “repentance” is (back-) translated in various ways (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):
Embu: “change heart” (“2 Cor. 7:10 says ‘For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death.’ In ordinary speech the terms ‘repent’ and ‘regret’ are used interchangeably in Embu, so that this verse comes out as: ‘godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no repentance,’ which is contradictory. The problem was solved by using ‘changing heart’ in the first, and ‘sadness’ in the second.”) (source: Jan Sterk)
Muna: dofetompa’ao dhosa bhe dodoli ne Lahata’ala: “radically-end sin and to turn to God” (source: René van den Berg)
Bacama: por-njiya: “fetch sand” (“Before the coming of Christianity 100 years ago, when the elders went to pray to the gods, they would take sand and throw it over each shoulder and down their backs while confessing their sins. Covering themselves with sand was a ritual to show that they were sorry for what they had done wrong, sort of like covering oneself with sackcloth and ashes. Now idol worship for the most part is abandoned in Bacama culture, but the Christian church has retained the phrase por-njiya to mean ‘repent, doing something to show sorrow for one’s sins’” — source: David Frank in this blog post .)
Enlhet “exchange innermosts.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
Isthmus Zapotec: “heart becomes soft” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Cherokee: “change one’s thinking” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 23)
Sabaot: “give one’s neck” — relating to traditional legal proceedings where someone who is convicted of a crime kneels before the aggrieved person who can either behead the accused or completely forgive (source Danny Foster in this recording )
Kâte: maŋ bârisiezo or “turn the insides around” (source: Renck 1990, p. 108)
Merina Malagasy: fifonana, deriving from mifona “meaning ‘to completely uproot so that something new can grow’ (a term also used for the loss of a baby tooth)” (source: Brigitte Rabarijaona)
“In Tzotzil two reflexive verbs to communicate the biblical concept of repentance are used. Xca’i jba means to know or to reflect inwardly on one’s self. This self inquiry or self examination is similar to the attitude of the prodigal son where Luke 15:17 records that ‘he came to his senses.’ Broke, starving, and slopping hogs, the prodigal admitted to himself that he was in the wrong place. The second reflexive verb ‘jsutes jba’ means turning away from what one is and turning to something else. In a sense, it is deciding against one’s self and toward someone else. It is similar to the attitude of the prodigal son when he said, ‘I will get up and go to my father’ (Luke 15:18).” (source: Aeilts 2009, p. 118)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek terms that are often translated as “worship” (also, “kneel down” or “bow down”) are likewise translated in other languages in certain categories, including those based on physical activity, those which incorporate some element of “speaking” or “declaring,” and those which specify some type of mental activity.
Following is a list of (back-) translations (click or tap for details):
Obolo: itọtọbọ ebum: “express reverence and devotion” (source: Enene Enene)
Ngäbere: “cut oneself down before” (“This figure of speech comes from the picture of towering mahoganies in the forest which, under the woodman’s ax, quiver, waver, and then in solemn, thunderous crashing bury their lofty heads in the upstretched arms of the surrounding forest. This is the experience of every true worshiper who sees ‘the Lord, high and lifted up.’ Our own unworthiness brings us low. As the Valientes say, ‘we cut ourselves down before’ His presence. Our heads, which have been carried high in self-confidence, sink lower and lower in worship.)
Tzeltal: “end oneself before God.” (“Only by coming to the end of oneself can one truly worship. The animist worships his deities in the hope of receiving corresponding benefits, and some pagans in Christendom think that church attendance is a guarantee of success in this life and good luck in the future. But God has never set a price on worship except the price that we must pay, namely, ‘coming to the end of ourselves.'”) (Source of this and the one above: Nida 1952, p. 163)
Folopa: “die under God” (“an idiom that roughly back-translates “dying under God” which means lifting up his name and praising him and to acknowledge by everything one does and thanks that God is superior.”) (Source: Anderson / Moore, p. 202)
Chokwe: kuivayila — “rub something on” (“When anyone goes into the presence of a king or other superior, according to native law and custom the inferior gets down on the ground, takes a little earth in the fingers of his right hand, rubs it on his own body, and then claps his hands in homage and the greeting of friendship. It is a token of veneration, of homage, of extreme gratitude for some favor received. It is also a recognition of kingship, lordship, and a prostrating of oneself in its presence. Yet it simply is the applicative form of ‘to rub something on oneself’, this form of the verb giving the value of ‘because of.’ Thus in God’s presence as king and Lord we metaphorically rub dirt on ourselves, thus acknowledging Him for what He really is and what He has done for us.”) (Source: D. B. Long in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 87ff. )
In the German New Testament translation Fridolin Stier (1989) it is consistently translated as “bow (to someone) deeply” (tief verneigen)
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning:
For Mark 15:19 and Matt. 2:8 and 2:11: “uh’idma-rrama llia’ara” — “to kiss the fingernail and lick the heel”
For Acts 16:14: ra’uli-rawedi — “to praise-talk about”
In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “tell-a-story” and “compare.” (Source: Anna Smith)
“Parable” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as analogy because “the Greek word has the sense of tossing down something alongside something else. Hence an analogy.”
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 1:17:
Uma: “Relatives, you dwell in this world like a person just passing through. And when you pray to God you say that he is your Father. That is why you must submit to God while you are still living in this world. Because the God that you relate-to-as-Father, he is the Judge [lit., Sitter] who decides the cases of every person according to their behavior, he does not discriminate [lit., consider-the-appearance of] people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When God will judge mankind he will judge each-one-individually and he will not make a difference between them. He will judge all their deeds good and bad. Therefore, because you call God ‘Father’ when you pray, you should really honor/respect him as long as you live here in the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since we have called on our Father God for help, it is necessary that our respect for Him is very tight while we are still living here on the earth. He is the one who investigates the activity of mankind according to what each one has done, and He shows favoritism to no one.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Remember that the God whom you acknowledge as Father in your praying, he also is the one-who-judges. And he will judge all people according to what each one has done without making-distinctions. So you should esteem/respect and fear him during your presence on this earth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It’s good for you to be considering that as for this God whom you call Father, he will pass judgment on all, according to what they have done. He doesn’t discriminate against anyone. Therefore it’s necessary that you respect him with fear, as long as you are still here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “When you pray to God, you say, ‘My Father, God,’ you say. But God doesn’t play favorites when he judges how each one of us has lived. Therefore it is necessary that you live in fearful reverence during the days you live here on earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Kekchí: “God judges each person according to what he does, and he does not show favoritism. ‘Our Father’ you say, when you pray. If that is what you say, may you have fear in your hearts as you are here in this world.” (Source: Callow 1972, p. 60)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 2:4:
Uma: “The Lord Yesus is compared to a living stone. That stone was thrown away by men because they said it had no use. But in the sight of God, it/he is very expensive, and God chose him/it to be the main foundation stone. And you also, relatives, come to the Lord,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Come/Go/Cause-to-be close to Isa Almasi, the Lord. He is the one who gives life without end. He is figuratively the stone on which a house is erected. He was rejected by the people because there is reportedly no use for it/him, but he was chosen by God because he is the very best.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Submit yourselves to our Lord Jesus, who is the one who gives life forever. He is like a building stone which the carpenters will not accept. He was not accepted by people, however He is the one whom God has chosen, for He is very precious.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Come-near then to the source of life who is Cristo who can-be-compared to a living stone which makes-firm the house. This stone, it was rejected/refused by people, but he is the one whom God chose, and he is valuable and honored in his estimation.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “As for this Cristo, he is really alive and what he is like is a smoothed/planed stone/rock which was not acceptable to the people. But he really was acceptable to God for he chose and really values him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Search to know more about Christ. He is like a stone which is the first to be built into the house of God. The people wanted to throw the stone aside, but God chose it in order to build his house.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Kekchí verses 4 and 5: “Gome to Christ, the very precious One who was chosen by God to give us life. Jesus Christ was appointed by God to serve like the big, very good stone which serves as the cornerstone of the house. And you, you are like the little stones that enter into the wall.” (Source: Eachus 2006, p. 266f.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 2:5:
Uma: “so that you also are made by him to be like living stones that are used to build the worship house to God. He also made you holy priests. For like priests offer offerings/sacrifices to God, so also you offer your hearts to God, you consider it your offering to him. And that offering of yours does gladden his heart, because of the mediation of Yesus Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Now you have already new life from God. Let yourselves be used by God figuratively as stones for building his house. The meaning of God’s house is all the people who follow/obey him and are ruled over by his Spirit. And work also for God figuratively like priests (imam) chosen by him. Your work for him is thanking and praising God. And your thanksgiving and your praise God will accept because of Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for us (incl.) also who have been given life forever, let us submit ourselves to Him so that we also might become like building stones for a house where God will be worshipped. And in that house of His, He will make us to become sacrificers whom He has chosen. And then by means of the help of Jesus Christ, we can offer sacrifice. And the sacrifice which He desires is: we will worship Him by means of the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because of your coming-near to him, you also can-be-compared to living stones, because you are being used in-being-built-into a spiritual (naispiritoan) temple. You are also serving as God’s holy priests who are offering to him spiritual offerings with which he is content/pleased through Jesu Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well since you are now submitting to him, he has given you renewing of your lives, and a likeness of you also is smoothed rocks/stones too which the Lord is using as materials with which he is building a house which is a worship-place to God. He is also making you like priests who are secured/dedicated as belonging to God. However, what you(emph) are-to-be-using-to-worship is your serving and praising him, which pleases him because of what was done by Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “You must want that God makes you to be a stone for the building of God’s house of prayer. And you are as though priests in order for you to pray to God. God approves of this because you believe in Jesus Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Kekchí verses 4 and 5: “Gome to Christ, the very precious One who was chosen by God to give us life. Jesus Christ was appointed by God to serve like the big, very good stone which serves as the cornerstone of the house. And you, you are like the little stones that enter into the wall.” (Source: Eachus 2006, p. 266f.)
Saint Lucian Creole French: “You are rocks that are living also, so let God use you in that house he is building with his Spirit. You are priests God has set apart to do his work. God’s Spirit made it possible for you to be able to offer sacrifices God will accept for the sake of what Jesus Christ did.” (Source: David Frank)
