The Greek phrase that is (awkwardly) rendered as “people were marrying and being given in marriage” in some English versions (Good News Translation: “men and women married”) is rendered more straight-forwardly in Chechen and Khakas which uses different words for “marry” for men and women. (Source: David Clark)
In Tlahuitoltepec Mixe it is translated as “no one will go as a wife-seeker, and no one will cause his child to be married.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated into English as “(this) generation” is translated as “the people now” into Chol, “those who are in space now” into Tzeltal or “you people” into Tlahuitoltepec Mixe. (Source: Bratcher / Nida; Mixe: Robert Bascom)
Generic terms for the Greek that is translated as “generation” include “(people of one) layer” (Ekari, Toraja-Sa’dan, Batak Toba), or “one storey of growing” (Highland Totonac, using a term also denoting a storey or floor of a building). (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
See also generations and all generations.
The Greek that is translated as “tempted by Satan” in most English translations is translated in Tlahuitoltepec Mixe as “and the devil was wanting to cause him to sin, and not once did Jesus obey.” An addition was necessary to indicate that the devil’s desire was frustrated. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
See also tempt
The Greek that is translated in English as “they were like sheep without a shepherd” or similar is translated in Tlahuitoltepec Mixe as “they were standing about sadly like many sheep whose watcher had gone.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
See also shepherd.
The Greek that is translated as “powers in the heavens will be shaken” or similar in English is translated in Tzotzil as “the lights in the sky will come out of their place,” in Southern Puebla Mixtec as “those who rule in the heavens will be caused to move out of the way,” and in Tlahuitoltepec Mixe as “a great shaking will pass in the sky.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 19:30:
- Uma: “But many people who are important [lit., whose lives are big] at this time will become unimportant [lit., their lives are small] in the future. And many also the people who are unimportant [lit., small their lives] at this time will become important [lit., big their lives] in the future.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But many who are first now will be last in the future, and many who are last now will be first in the future.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But many are the people today who seem to be big in rank, but their rank will be very small in the future. And many also are the people today who are very low in rank but in the future they will be very high in rank,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But many who are high/great now will be made-low/humble, and also many who are low/humble now will be made-high/great.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But it’s true that many are important today in man’s opinion who will become low-class/insignificant when that day comes. And many are only low-class/insignificant today in man’s opinion, but they will become important in the kingdom of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Many people are respected here, but on that day very little will they be respected. Many people are not respected here, but on that day they will be respected.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Choapan Zapotec: “Some people rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will no longer rule. Some people don’t rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will rule.”
- Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Many whom people think are important, desirable, God is going to make small, and he will better cause to come out pretty those whom people think are not important or desirable.” (Source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:35:
- Uma: “Who[ever] hangs-on-to his own desires, he won’t get good life. But who[ever] releases his own desires because he is following me and because of the Good News, even if it means his death, he is the one who will get good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “For,’ said Isa, ‘if a person cherishes his life, he has no everlasting life. But if a person does not cherish his life and submits yet to die because of his persevering in following me and proclaiming the good news, na, that person has everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if there is a person who sets his heart on his life, he will die just the same. But if there is a person who follows me and spreads the good news even though it leads to his death, God will give him back his life and he will no longer die again forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because the one who esteems/considers-important himself, he will die just the same, but the one who dies on account of his faith in me and his preaching of the good news, there is life that has no end that God will give to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For the one who really values his life, it will indeed be lost to him. But the one who holds-fast to me and the spreading of the Good News even though it may cause his life/breath to be severed, life which is far-from-ordinary will really be his.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Whoever restrains himself, whoever will not let himself do (that is, protects himself) for my sake, his soul will go to ruin; and whoever with all his heart offers himself, who does not pity himself for my sake and for the good word’s sake, his soul will go to be saved.”
- Ocotlán Zapotec: “He who does not want to die for me, will die, but he who loses his life for me and for the words of the gospel will live forever, will be saved.” (Source for this and above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:36:
- Uma: “What is the use of us gathering all the world’s wealth, if we don’t get good life in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “For a person, even if he has all the treasures/possessions/wealth in the world, there is no use in it if he has not everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Even if a person can come to own the whole world, it’s no use to him if he is not given eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because what do-you-suppose will be the benefit to a person if he comes-to-own the entire world and then his life is lost and he is punished forever? None!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For what does a person gain, even supposing all the wealth here in the world would be his, if his soul/spirit will be lost-permanently because it will have to go there to hardship/suffering which is without ending?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “What does it profit if a man gains the world for himself and his soul gets lost?”
- El Nayar Cora: “When someone will lose his life it will not help him the one who has everything in this world.”
- San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “What if someone owns everything in the world. What will it serve him if he fails to get life from God.” (Source for this and two above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
