Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 22:32:
Uma: “‘I am God worshipped by Abraham, God worshipped by Ishak, God worshipped by Yakub.’ That means even though Abraham, Ishak and Yakub died long ago, they still lived. For it is not dead people who worship God, it is living people who worship him.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “God said, ‘I am the God who is God for Ibrahim, Isahak and Yakub.’ God is a God of the living not God of the dead.’ (That means that even though Ibrahim and Isahak and Yakub have long died, they are alive in heaven because they are still worshiping God.)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because even though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were already dead then, God said, ‘I am the God who is worshipped by Abraham, and by Isaac, and by Jacob,’ which is to say, they are still worshipping God, for the one who worships him, even if he dies, he still has life.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘I am God who is still the God of (pl.) Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ He said that even-though (pl.) Abraham had long-ago died. What this means to say is that the dead live again, because God, he is not God of dead people but rather of the living.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Of course God is not the God of people who are dead, but on the contrary, alive. Therein it’s clear that Abraham and company (i.e. Isaac and Jacob) are alive again, even though they had already died.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Thus is seen that there where God is, the dead do not lose their souls.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 13:32:
Uma: “If what happens to me makes God big, God also will make me big with his power. And it will quickly happen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When the power of God has been shown because of me, it will not be long that God shows also my honor/what honors me, me the Son of Mankind.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if by means of me, the power of my Father God can be seen, my Father will also show my great power, and it won’t be long from now that he will show it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “And if/when God is honored through me, he will not also honor me in heaven and he will do-it immediately.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And if because of me the glory of God is apparent, he will be the one then to make my glory apparent who am his Son. And he will do that right now.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “And if what the Man who came from heaven does causes it to be apparent that God is the greatest, then God also will show that his son is the greatest. And it isn’t a long time before it will be.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 23:18:
Uma: “You teach like this: If a person swears mentioning the sacrifice/offering burning table [altar] that is in the House of God, he is not bound by that oath. But if he mentions the sacrifice/offering that is burned on that table, you say he is bound by his oath.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “You also teach, you say, ‘If a person swears and he makes the-place-for-sacrifice his witness, it is possible even if he does not fulfill it. But if that is what he makes his witness the sacrifice on the place for putting it, he has to fulfill it/it is not possible if he does not fulfill it.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now you teach also that if a person makes a promise, and if he calls on the altar of sacrifice in the House of God, it’s all right if he doesn’t fulfill his promise. But if the thing he calls on is the sacrifice that is placed on the altar, it’s not all right if he does not fulfill his promise.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “You also say that if someone swears and he takes the altar as his witness, it isn’t sin if he doesn’t fulfill what he swore, but if it is what was offered on the altar that he takes as a witness, he must fulfill it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “You also say that even if the one making a promise mentions the altar (lit. burning-place) which is in the Templo, it isn’t bad even if he doesn’t fulfill it. But if what is mentioned is the thank-offering which is on this altar, it’s necessary that he fulfill what he promised.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Also you teach that the person who calls upon the altar, as witness for whatever word the person promises, then the person isn’t required to do what he said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 14:26:
Uma: “But when the Holy Spirit comes, He is the one who will teach you every [kind of] thing, and he will remind you all that I have said to you, because he is the Helper that my Father ordered here to become my replacement / representative.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But my Father will send to you the helper, who substitutes for me. He is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you everything and he will remind you of all that I have taught you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And my Father will send to you the helper who will replace me. He is the Holy Spirit, and he will teach you everything and cause you to remember everything that I told you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But later God will send the Holy Spirit as my representative (lit. my bodyhood) to help you. It is he who will teach you all things, and he will also remind you of all that I have been saying.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But that Helper who is the Espiritu Santo who will be sent by the Father like he will replace me, he will be the one who will explain all things to you and remind you of all I have said.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “And I will ask the favor of the Father to send the Holy Spirit so that he will care for you and comfort you. He will teach you everything and will remind you of all I have said to you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 24:11:
Uma: “And many lying prophets will appear who will deceive many people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Many people will come and pretend to be prophets sent by God and they will deceive many people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then many liars will appear who say that they are inspired of God, and they will be able to deceive many.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “There will also be many deceiving prophets who will appear, and many will be deceived by them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Many will emerge who make false claims to being prophets. Many are those whose belief/obeying they will mislead.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “There will be many false prophets, saying that God puts in their minds the words they speak. Thus they will deceive many people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.
When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”
This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.
In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the GermanGute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).
In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:
Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )
In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with a sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):
“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”
