Language-specific Insights

amazed and astonished

The Greek in Acts 2:7 that is translated as “amazed and astonished” or similar in English is translated as “remained speechless and marveled” in Morelos Nahuatl, “their thinking went round and round” in Coatlán Mixe, “They lost their abdomens. They stared very much” in Chuj, and “it startled them and they were thinking it over inside their hearts” in Chichimeca-Jonaz. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

See also amazed / astonished / marvel.

holy ground

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “holy ground” is tranlated as “you are before me and I am good” in Morelos Nahuatl and “where I myself am and I am God” in Rincón Zapotec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

stocks

The Greek in Acts 16:24 that is typically translated as “stocks” in English is translated in Isthmus Mixe as “notched boards” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).

In Lalana Chinantec it is translated as “where planks have holes in them and where peoples’ feet are tight,” in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “bit their feet with wood,” and in Morelos Nahuatl as “stuck between two boards.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

“Stocks” is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:

Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

proselyte

The Greek that is often translated as “proselyte” in English is translated in various ways:

  • Isthmus Mixe: “those that entered the mind of the Israelites”
  • Desano: “people who are of the same religion as the Jews”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “people who were not Jews but have come to believe as the Jewish people believe”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “those who entered the mind of the Israelites”
  • Mayo: “those who live according to Jewish custom”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “people from other nations who believe the same as those of the nation of Israel”
  • Chuj: “those who have received the religion of the Israel people”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “those who entered the religion of the Jews”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “those who worship God as the Israel people do”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “those who joined with the Jews because they went to believing like them”
  • Falam Chin: “those who entered/joined the Jews’ religious party from other tribes” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

tent-maker

The Greek in Acts 18:3 that is translated as “tent-maker” in English is translated as “work of sewing heavy cloth to become cloth houses” in Teutila Cuicatec, “work to make the houses of canvas in order to sell” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, as “they made cloth houses to sell” in Morelos Nahuatl, or as “make big cloth houses” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

my flesh will live in hope

The Greek in Acts 2:26 that is translated as “my flesh will live in hope” or similar in English is translated these ways in the following languages.

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “when my body rests in the grave I will wait what good he will do for me”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “I have much confidence that my body will come alive”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “even though my body should die, I know that I will come to life
  • Falam Chin: “my whole body will be filled with hope”
  • Huichol: “even though my corpse is there while I wait I believe (you will not leave my soul dead)” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

right hand of

The Greek and Hebrew that is typically translated as “(to the) right hand of” is often translated much more descriptively in other languages:

  • Yakan: “at the right side, here in the greatest/most important/most honored place/seat”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “the right hand, at the place of honor”
  • Chuj: “exalted at the right hand”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “in a high place there at the right”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “make great”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “given great authority”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “placed big” or “heart-strengthens me”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “stays with me” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August, 1966, p. 86ff)
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “in all authority at the right side” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Bariai: “chief seat at the right hand” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Cherokee: “the right, the stronger” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 31)
  • Musgu: “next to” or “on the side of” (source: Lynell Zogbo in The Bible Translator 2013, p. 36ff. )

In Lamnso’, the seat on the right-hand side signifies that the person seated there would have a higher position than the one to his left (vs. just being a seat of honor). To circumvent any misunderstanding of the biblical text, the translation here refers to the “highest seat next to God.” (Source: Karl Grebe in Holzhausen 1991, p. 52)

(Note that in Elhomwe the idiom “I see you through the left hand” stands for “useless.” [Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext])

For Old Testament examples of blessing and power associated with God’s right hand, see Gen 48:14, 48:17, Exodus 15:6, 15:12, Psalm 48:10, 80:15, 80:17, 89:13.

For more information on the issue of translating “right” vs. “left,” especially in African languages, see Lynell Zogbo’s article in The Bible Translator 2013, p. 36ff. .