Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 22:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 22:29:

  • Uma: “Yesus said: ‘Your thinking is so wrong, for you do not understand the contents of the Holy Book, nor do you know the power of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered he said, ‘You are wrong. That’s why you are wrong because you do not understand what is written in the holy-book and you also do not know the power of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered them, saying, ‘You are really mistaken. It’s because you do not understand the written word of God, and you also don’t understand that God is very powerful to raise the dead.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus answered saying, ‘You are mistaken, because you do not understand God’s written word and neither do you understand his power.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, ‘Your perception is wrong, for the reason that you don’t know the written word of God, and the strength of his supernatural-power.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said to the people he was speaking with: ‘You do not know about the matter you are speaking of. Because you do not understand the word written in the Holy Book. And you do not know how great God’s power is.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Philippians 1:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 1:22:

  • Uma: “But if I keep living in this world, I can still do useful work. So I do not know which one I would choose.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is also good if my life is yet a bit longer so that I can work more for Isa Almasi. I don’t know as to which I want to choose, to live or to die.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if I am-alive, I will be-able-to-continue this valuable work of mine. Therefore if I were to be the one to choose, I wouldn’t know which was best,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if it is indeed the will of God to cause me to live longer so that this work of mine can continue, that’s good too, for many more will be able to be benefitted. Therefore I won’t tell which of them I like, to die now or be allowed to live longer.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If I should continue to go on living here on earth, I will be able to win more people over to believing in Christ. Therefore now I don’t know what I want to choose. Is it good that I continue living, or is it good that I die?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 13:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 13:31:

  • Uma: “After Yudas had left there, Yesus said: ‘Now I the Child of Mankind am made big. And what will happen to me also makes God big.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When Judas had left, Isa said, ‘Now my honor/what honors me will be shown, me the Son of Mankind. Now the power of God will be shown because of me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when Judas had left, Jesus said, ‘Soon it will be seen just how big is my power, the older sibling of mankind. By means of me, it can be seen also how big is the power of my Father God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When Judas had gone, Jesus said, ‘What will happen in-a-little-while to me who am Child of a Person, it will be the cause-of-my-being-honored and also God’s being-honored.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Judas had left, Jesus again spoke. He said, ‘It has now been reached that my praiseworthiness/glory become apparent, I who am the One From Heaven Born of Man, and because of me, the praiseworthiness/glory of God will also become apparent.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “After Judas had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now it will be apparent that the Man who came from heaven is the greatest. And by means of what that man does, it will be apparent that God is the greatest.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 23:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 23:15:

  • Uma: “‘Disaster on you, you religious teachers and Parisi people! You are just good on the outside! You go far crossing the sea and journeying overland in order that at least one person becomes your follower. And when you have followers, you teach them to follow your deceiving [ways], with the result that their deeds are worse than yours, and they are more fit to be punished in hell than you are.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘You are to be pitied teachers of the religious law and Pariseo because God will punish you. You only pretend to follow God. You cross the sea going to other countries/places and you go far/walk far to teach so that at least one person will follow your teaching. But when he already follows, he is even more worthy to be put in hell than you because of what you taught him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Pity you, teachers of the law, and you Pharisees, because your faith in God is a lie. You cross the sea and you travel over a wide country so that you might convert a person, and the person you convert, you make him far more worthy than you of being punished in hell.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Pitiful are you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! Because you cross-over the sea and go to far countries so that you will have a way to persuade even just-one to become your disciple. And when you have persuaded him, you turn-him-into a person more worthy to be punished in hell than yourselves!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really extremely hard is what is being reserved for you, you explainers of law and Pariseo, who pretend to believe/obey God. You go all over the land/world, you cross the sea, for you are persevering in rounding up even just one person who isn’t a Judio to join the belief of the Judio. Of course if/when you get someone to join, because of your teaching he will keep-on/overdo copying your evil nature/ways, till his wickedness is much greater. Well, none other will become of him than that his punishment is now double, there in the fire which never dies down.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, you teachers of the law and Pharisees, how great is the suffering you will have, for it is not true that you are good people. All over the world you go, you cross the sea to search for people to follow the word you teach. When you have converted the person to follow what you teach, then the person ends up with twice the punishment in hell that you will have.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Philippians 2:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 2:24:

  • Uma: “And I hope with the help of the Lord, I also will not be long in going to visit you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I trust our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi that I will soon also be able to go there to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And my confidence is also great that God will soon make it possible for me to follow Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And may the Lord also permit that it won’t be long before (lit. and) I am able to have the opportunity to also go and visit you there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “However I am indeed sure that, before long, I will be indeed able to go there to you through the help of the Lord.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “May God want that it won’t be long until I go there to see you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 14:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 14:25:

  • Uma: “‘All that earlier I said to you while I was still there with you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘I have been telling this all to you while I am still here with you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am telling you all of this while I am still with you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then he continued to say, ‘I have told all these-things to you while I am still with (lit. added-to) you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “These teachings of mine, I am teaching to you while I am still with you here in this world.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I am telling you all these things while I am yet with you here.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 24:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 24:8:

  • Uma: “But all those things are just the beginning, like the suffering of a woman who is about to give birth.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But all this is only the beginning of the difficulties, figuratively as if a woman soon will give birth and begins to have pain.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But these things which happen are like a woman giving birth whose birth pangs have just started.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But all these are like just the twinging of a woman’s stomach when she is beginning to give-birth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “However as for all of this, it’s only the beginning of hardshsip/suffering.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Thus is how begins the suffering which people must pass through afterwards.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Philippians 4:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 4:6:

  • Uma: “Don’t be afraid/nervous about anything. In all things, keep on praying, calling-out, asking God, and always saying thank you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Don’t be troubled about anything. Instead/but when you pray to God, ask from him (for) your needs and do not forget to thank him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t be sorrowful over anything which happens to you, but rather when you pray, ask God for what you need and when you ask Him, it’s necessary that you thank Him beforehand.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whatever hardship arrives to you, you should not be worried about anything but rather you should pray-about-it to God, requesting him for what you need while you also thank him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Don’t agitate your mind/thinking about anything at all, but rather what is good is that you pray about it. Request with thanksgiving to God all that you have need of.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do not let your hearts be fearful. Rather always ask God that he will help you in what problems you have. And do not forget God, thank him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “Do not lessen your liver [worry] about anything. But ask Great Above One about everything. Speak with Great Above One and tell Him all your thoughts. Then you will say ‘Thank you!’ with a clean liver to Great Above One.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)