In many English translations the Greek terms “hieron” (the whole “temple” in Jerusalem or specifically the outer courts open to worshippers) and “naos” (the inner “shrine” or “sanctuary”) are translated with only one word: “temple” (see also for instance “Tempel” in German [for exception see below] and “tempel” in Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans).
Other languages make a distinction: (Click or tap here to see more)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” (for naos)
Balinese: “inner part of the Great Temple” (“the term ‘inner part’ denoting the hindmost and holiest of the two or three courts that temples on Bali usually possess”) vs. “Great Temple”
Telugu: “womb (i.e. interior)-of-the-abode” vs. “abode”
Thai: a term denoting the main audience hall of a Buddhist temple compound vs. “environs-of-the-main-audience-hall”
Kituba: “place of holiness of house-God Lord” vs. “house-God Lord”
Shipibo-Conibo: “deep in God’s house” vs. “God’s house” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Germandas Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “inner court of the temple” (Tempelinnenhof) vs. “temple”
Languages that, like English, German, Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans, don’t make that distinction include:
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house that is looked upon as holy, that is sacred, that is taboo and where one may not set foot” (lit. “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” — because taboo is violated — using a term that is also applied to a Muslim mosque) (source for this and the three above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Aguaruna: “the house for talking to God” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Guhu-Samane: “festival longhouse of God” (“The biiri, ‘festival longhouse’, being the religious and social center of the community, is a possible term for ‘temple’. It is not the ‘poro house’ as such. That would be too closely identified with the cult of poro. The physical features of the building, huge and sub-divided, lend it further favor for this consideration. By qualifying it as ‘God’s biiri’ the term has become meaningful and appropriate in the context of the Scriptures.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
Enga: “God’s restricted access house” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog )
Another distinction that tends to be overlooked in translations is that between hieron (“temple” in English) and sunagógé (“synagogue” in English). Euan Fry (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 213ff. ) reports on this:
“Many older translations have simply used transliterations of ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ rather than trying to find equivalent terms or meaningful expressions in their own languages. This approach does keep the two terms separate; but it makes the readers depend on explanations given by pastors or teachers for their understanding of the text.
“Translators who have tried to find meaningful equivalents, for the two terms ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ have usually made a distinction between them in one of two ways (which focus on the contrasting components of meaning). One way takes the size and importance of the Temple to make a contrast, so that expressions such as ‘sacred meeting/ worship house of the Jews’ and ‘big sacred meeting/worship house of the Jews’ are used. The other way focuses on the different nature of the religious activity at each of the places, so that expressions such as ‘meeting/worship house of the Jews’ and ‘sacrifice/ceremony place of the Jews’ are used.
“It is not my purpose in this article to discuss how to arrive at the most precise equivalent to cover all the components of meaning of ‘temple’. That is something that each translator really has to work through for himself in the light of the present usage and possibilities in his own language. My chief concern here is that the basic term or terms chosen for ‘temple’ should give the reader of a translation a clear and correct picture of the location referred to in each passage. And I am afraid that in many cases where an equivalent like ‘house of God’ or ‘worship house’ has been chosen, the readers have quite the wrong picture of what going to the Temple or being in the Temple means. (This may be the case for the word ‘temple’ in English too, for many readers.)”
Here are some examples:
Bambara: “house of God” (or: “big house of worship”) vs. “worship house” (or: “small houses of worship”)
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” (see above) vs. “meeting house for discussing matters concerning religious customs” (and “church” is “house where one meets on Sunday”)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” vs. “house of gathering” (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Herod’s temple (source: Bible Lands 2012)Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing synagogues in New Testament times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:47:
Uma: “They continued praising God, and all people/crowds were glad about them. Every day the Lord added-to their number; its meaning, every day there were more-and-more people who believed in the Lord Yesus and [lit., until] were lifted from the punishment of their sins.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They always praised God and all the people respected them. And every day there were people who newly trusted in Isa being added to them by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they praised God and everybody respected them. And everyday at that time there were people who believed. And all of them, God set them free so that they would no longer be punished by him, and those were added to the believers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “They were praising God continually, and all the people acknowledged-with-respect their good behavior. Every-day also those whom God was saving were joining/being-added to them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “They were always praising God, and they were highly-spoken-of by people who hadn’t yet believed. Really every day there were those being graced with salvation by God, whom he was adding to those believers.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Lalana Chinantec: “They worshipped God. All of the townspeople spoke well with regard to those people. Every day the Lord made there to be more people who were saved. They joined with the people of Jesus.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “And the believers glorified God and all the people had respect for them and God caused that day by day more believers walked with them.”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “They were telling that God did them good he helped them and they pleased the hearts of all the people. Also always each day he who is Chief gradually was gathering and joining those who were being saved with the others who were already believing and meeting together.”
Teutila Cuicatec: “They would praise God and the townspeople respected them. Day by day our Lord God was saving some from among the townspeople and causing them to join them.”
Desano: “Thus making God happy and saying that he is good, they lived in peace with the people. God added to the group which was close to him many more whom he was saving well.” (Source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:6:
Uma: “People who say they remain in harmony with God, their behavior must be like Kristus’ behavior.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Whoever says that he is one with God his conduct should be like Isa Almasi’s conduct when he was here in the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But if there is a person who obeys the commands of God, his holding God dear in his breath has been drawn tight. As for the person who says that he has a close relationship with God, it is necessary that his actions be righteous, just like the actions of Jesus were righteous. If this is what we (incl.) do, we know that we have been made one with God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But as for the one who is following the words of God, he is the one whose love for God has no lack/fault. If then there is one who says that he has-joined/been-added-to/belongs to God, he must follow-the-example of Jesu Cristo. And if we do that, that’s how we know for sure that it is true that we have been joined to God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Therefore the one who says, ‘I am now holding fast to Jesu-Cristo, being really united/tied-together now with him,’ it’s necessary that he live his life like the way Jesu-Cristo lived, when he was still here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “He who says that he walks with God must necessarily live like Jesus Christ lived when he lived here.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say that we are constantly present with Jesus Christ, we must do as Jesus Christ did.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “If one says he is living with Christ, he must walk like Christ walked.”
Tzotzil: “If we say ‘I am in the presence of God,’ then let us do like Jesus Christ did.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:9:
Uma: “All people who are-children of God, they no longer do sins always, for they have received new life from God. They cannot do sin always, for they are-children of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Whoever is a child (lit. are children) of God, no longer sins because God’s customs are already there in their livers. And because God is already their father, they no longer sin.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who has been made a son of God, he does not want to do evil for he inherently now resembles God. Since His Father is God, it is not possible that he will always be doing evil.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So the person who truly is a child of God, he doesn’t continue to sin, because God’s mind/thoughts is what is in him. Because of God’s having given birth to him, it is not possible that he continue to sin.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Because as for whoever has been as-it-were given birth to by God, he doesn’t still continue to sin. Of course he will not deviate/do differently from this one who as-it-were gave birth to him. Well since God is now his Father, it’s not now possible/acceptable that he still keep on doing sin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The children of God now do not commit sin because they have met up with the new life which God gives. Now they do not want to commit sin because they are the children of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we are children of God we are not evil doers, because God has renewed our head-hearts. And we cannot be evil doers any longer because we are children of God.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who is really born anew by God, does not habitually sin. He doesn’t habitually do sin, because he has taken the nature of God. And God never wants to sin. So he can’t habitually sin because he was born anew by God.”
Tzotzil: “If we have been born again in the presence of God, we don’t any more seek sin because God has given us new life. We cannot seek sin because we have been born again in the presence of God.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:18:
Uma: “If we really know God’s love to us, we are no longer afraid of God. His complete love strengthens our heart so that we are no longer afraid. If we fear that God will punish [us], its meaning, we do not yet really know his love for us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “True love is not mixed with fear because if we (dual) truly love God our (dual) fear disappears. Whoever fears, his love is not yet complete, because he is afraid that perhaps he will be punished by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who loves God, it is not necessary that he be afraid of God, and since God’s love for us has no lack, he has removed already our fear of Him. The reason a person is afraid is because he expects God’s punishment on him, but as for that person who is afraid of God, God’s love for him has not yet been drawn tight in his mind.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So long as there is love, it not possible that it be added-to with fear, because the love which has no lack, it blocks fear. So the person who is afraid because he is thinking about God’s punishment, that is the evidence that his love is still lacking.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For as long as our holding dear of God and valuing of our fellowman is true, we no longer have fear of punishment. Because, as for complete holding dear, it’s like it can bury/cover up this fear. Because what people really fear is, to be punished. Therefore if we are still afraid of being punished, it’s clear that our holding dear and valuing is still lacking.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The person who loves God from the heart does not then fear that God will be angry with him. How can you go on fearing when from the heart you love? A person fears that God will be angry at him when he doesn’t love from the heart.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we love God there is nothing for us to fear. And if we love God as we ought, there is nothing left for us to fear, because it is like a punishment for us when we are afraid. And if we fear anything, we do not love God as we ought.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who fears the judgment, he fears it because he hasn’t yet known well the love that God does to him. God’s love removes fear. When we fear, we think God will punish us.”
Tzotzil: “If we believe that God loves us, therefore we are not afraid. Because if we are afraid, it is because we think that God is going to punish us. If we believe that God really and truly loves us, not thus we think. Therefore if we are afraid it is because we have not believed that God loves us.”
Sayula Popoluca: “He who loves God, doesn’t fear. Because he who truly loves God will not fear anything. Because he who fears will suffer. He who fears, he doesn’t truly love God.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.
Eastern Arrernte “The person who knows that God loves him does not fear God. But the person who fears that God will punish him, he does not yet know that God loves him very much.” (Source: Carl Gross)
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:8:
Uma: “That’s why you must be careful, lest you let-go-of your faith in the Lord Yesus, with the result that there is no use to our (excl.) work bringing the Good News to you. Keep believing in the Lord, so that you will get all the return/recompense of your faith in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Therefore take care so that all that we (incl.) have labored for is not lost, but/instead that you will receive in-total/completely your reward from God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Be on your guard so that what you have worked so hard for might not be removed from you and so that the reward of God to you in the future might not be lessened.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Be-careful then so that what we (excl.) taught you that was correct does not come-to-nothing, because if you do that, the reward that you will get/enjoy in a future day will not be taken-away-from/lessened.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Therefore you need to be careful, so that what you’ve-worked-hard-for/suffered-hardship-for won’t be lost, but rather you will be able to receive the best reward.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Be careful in order that you will not lose what you are working at. You should want that you will be rewarded completely.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “Do not believe them, because if you believe them, the benefit God wants to give to you because of our will be lost. Do you so that you will receive all the benefit which God wants to give to you.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “Guard yourselves so that no one will deceive you; and it will be lost what we have worked for. But continue well so that you will gain (earn, win) all that God wants to give you afterwards.”
Isthmus Zapotec: “Watch carefully that which we did among you so that you won’t lose it but rather you will receive all that which god has prepared for you.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 8:10:
Uma: “The hearts of all the contents of the town were to him, both noblemen and the masses, they said: ‘That Simon, there is to him the power from God, that is called the Big Power.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “All the people in that place, of low or high social standing, really listened very well to him. The people said about that Simon, ‘Perhaps he is the one who has (supernatural) power from God which they call the ‘Great Power.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And everybody paid attention to his words in Samaria, those who were great and those who weren’t great, and they said, ‘This power that he uses, it is the power of God which is named the Great Power.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “And the many-people, both high and low, they kept-believing/obeying what he said and they considered that he was the godlike-one called Strong is his Power.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And all the people from there, high and low-class, they really acknowledged as true what he said. They were saying, ‘Really as for this person, he is supernaturally-powerful with what is meant by the without equal supernatural-power of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Eastern Highland Otomi: “And all, the children and the older people, when they heard what he said, they said, ‘This man has power like God.'” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:17:
Uma: “Yet this world is about to be destroyed, so also all its contents that we desire. But people who follow God’s will live forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “This world will simply pass away/go by and all craving of mankind. But all that do God’s wishes/will, live in heaven forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The earth in the future will go out of existence, and all the evil things that people desire will also go out of existence, however, he who obeys what God wants, will never, by contrast, go out of existence, rather he has life which is forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “And the earth and all that is evil that people are-searching-for, it will collectively-cease-to-exist, but as for the one who does what God wants, he will have life that is forever.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But it’s true, there is an ending to this world and everything which people are bothered/busy with which they choose-to-remain-committed-to. But the one who is obedient to the will of God, he is the one who has life which has no ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But the people will pass away, also the things that please them will pass away. But he who does what pleases God lives forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “This world will disappear and likewise the things people on this earth intensely desire will disappear. But if we do what God wants, then we will live forever.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “But the deeds of the world are on the way to being finished-off. And all the pleasures of the world all likewise will be finished-off. But those who do God’s will, they will live for unending time.”
Tzotzil: “Because what the people do, once and for all it will come to an end. Therefore it is in vain that it calls, invites (us inferred) right now. If we do what God’s heart wants, we will live forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
