Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 3:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:24:

  • Uma: “People who follow God’s commands, they stay in harmony with him, and he with them. This is a sign so that we know God stays in harmony with us, because he has given us his Spirit.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Anybody who follows/obeys the commands of God is one with God and God stays/remains with him. We (dual) know that we are one with God because of the Holy Spirit that he caused to live in our (dual) livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who obeys the commands of God has become one with God and God lives in him. We know that God lives here in us (incl.) for we have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who obeys the commands of God, he remains in God and God also remains in him. The way-we-know that God remains in us, the Holy Spirit whom God gave is in us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well he who is obedient to the commands of God, his life really is holding fast to God, and as for God, he indeed is holding fast to him. And as for this help to us by the Espiritu Santo whom he caused to indwell our body, that is how we can comprehend that God is holding fast to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All those who obey what God commands are walkers-with-God. How we know that we walk with God is because of the Holy Spirit who was sent to us.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we are doing what he commands, we are constantly with God, and God is constantly with us. And we know that he is constantly with us because he has given us his Spirit.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Whoever does what he says, lives with God, and God also resides in his heart. And we know that we live with God because he gave us his good Spirit.”
  • Tzotzil: Because if we obey his commands, we are in his presence. God is in our hearts. Because is in our hearts the Holy Spirit that God has given us, therefore we know that God is in our hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 5:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:12:

  • Uma: “Whoever is connected to his Child, they get that life. Whoever is not connected with God’s Child, they don’t get that life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore whoever has God’s Son (lit. is the there-place of God’s Son) has this life. But whoever has not God’s Son (lit. is not the there-place of God’s Son) does not have everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who has become one with the Son of God has life without end. Anyone who has not become one with the Son of God, he has no life without end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So the one who has been joined to the Child of God, he has in him the life that has no end, but as for the one who was not joined to his Child, neither will he enjoy/gain this life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the one who is now united/tied-together with this Son of God, he is the one who has that life which is without ending. But as for the one who is not united with this Son of God, he certainly hasn’t got it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who walks with the Son of God now has the new life. But whoever does not walk with the Son of God now does not have the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we trust in God’s son we have eternal life. If we do not trust in him, we do not have eternal life.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who lives with God’s Son has (possesses) the new life, but he who doesn’t live with God’s Son doesn’t have the new life.”
  • Tzotzil: “If God’s Son is in our hearts, thus we will live forever. If God’s Son is not in our hearts, thus we will not live forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (3 John 1:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:10:

  • Uma: “So, when I arrive, I will expose his evil behavior and his talking-behind-our (excl.)-backs. It’s not just that which he has done. More than that, when our relatives who carry the Good News stop-in at your (pl.) village, he refuses to receive them. And he also forbids those who want to receive them [to do so], and he doesn’t allow them to enter the church-service.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore when I come there, I will expose all his doings, his slanderous talk about us (excl.) and his lies. But he is not yet satisfied with those his doings. He still adds to them. It is said that he also does not accept/receive our (dual) brothers who trust in Isa Almasi when they arrive there, and he opposes those who want to treat them according to custom, it is said, and he sends them away/expels them from the langgal (prayer house: also understood as the congregation).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When I come there, I will tell you all about all the evil that he does, for his evil words are about us are not true. And not only that, he will not care for our (incl.) fellow believers when they arrive. And he also will not allow his fellow believers there to care for them. Those who do, by contrast, care for them, he will not allow them to attend your worship.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So-then, when I go there, I will go (not redundant in RL) tell you the bad that he is doing in/by the not true-things that he is accusing us (sing.) of. And it’s not only these-things that he is doing, because neither does he have-come-in (to his house) our brothers who believe who are going to your town and moreover he forbids those who want to have-them-come-in, at-the-same-time making-them -leave the congregation of believers.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore if/when I am able to come there, I will call him to account for all that which he is doing, that he is really slandering us (excl.). And it’s like these deeds of his are not enough for him, but rather he even adds to it by not receiving those who are going teaching concerning Jesus. Far from receiving them he in fact even forbids and removes from their group of believers those who want to receive those arriving there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore when I come there, I will tell you all how it is that he doesn’t rest from telling lies about me. And he does not only do that, he also does not give a resting place to our brethren who arrive there. Anyone who wants to give them a resting place, he doesn’t want them to and he throws them outside from where the believers meet.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Therefore if I come to visit you, while you are met together I will cause him to remember how he is doing contrary to us (ex) by his lying words. And that is not all he is doing. Likewise he does not receive our brethren into his house, and the people who want to receive them into their houses he refuses to let them receive them. And the people who want to receive them, he casts them out from among you who are gathered together worshipping God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “So when I go there I will tell you when you’re gathered together, what Diotrephes does, that he says bad things in regard to me, and not only that, but also he doesn’t welcome (receive, take in) the siblings, the sent ones who come from afar, and he hinders (prohibits) whoever intends to receive them. And he throws out of the church whoever wants to help the sent-ones.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Hence, when I get there I will mention the things he is doing. He goes around saying harsh words against me, and not only that but he doesn’t receive the brethren. And those who want to receive the brethren, he keeps them from doing it and he keeps them from going to meeting.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Acts 1:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 1:2:

  • Uma: “until the day arrived of his being lifted going to heaven. After he was killed and brought back alive, many times he appeared to his apostles, so that they would clearly know that he lived again. During forty days, they indeed saw him and he taught them of God’s purpose of lifting mankind from the punishment of their sins and making them his people in his Kingdom. Before he left going to heaven, with authority of the Holy Spirit he placed [i.e., gave] his commands to those apostles of his whom he had chosen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “until the day he was caused to ascend to heaven. Before he ascended, he instructed the people he had chosen and commissioned to proclaim/preach the good news. Those instructions of his were from the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “until he was taken up by God to heaven. When Jesus was killed and rose again, there were many ways in which he showed his apostles proof that he was raised from the dead. For within forty days from that time he was always appearing to them. He taught them the ruling of God. Before he was taken up to heaven, he taught by means of the power of the Holy Spirit that which he wanted them to do to the apostles whom he had chosen before.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “from when-he-began to teach until his being-raised to heaven. When he died and-then lived again, he appeared to those whom he chose as apostles, and he did many things so-that they would thoroughly come-to-know that he lived again. Forty days went by during which he was appearing to them and was teaching them concerning God’s ruling. He also commanded them that which the Ispirito Santo (Holy Spirit) had-him-tell.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “until the day when he was caused to return to heaven/sky, after finishing the things he said to those disciples whom he had chosen, instructing them what they were to do through the strength of the Espiritu Santo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “He continued until when God took him to heaven. Before he went to heaven Jesus chose his 12 servants. The Holy Spirit helped Jesus to give commands to them.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi; “And I told you all Jesus did until he went to heaven. When He lived here on earth the Holy Spirit of God told Jesus what to tell the apostles to do. The apostles are the ones Jesus had chosen.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (1 John 1:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:10:

  • Uma: “If we say we have not sinned, God we-call-a-liar, and we don’t take-to-heart his words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If we (dual) say that we (dual) have not done any sin, it is as if we (dual) say that God is lying/a liar and we (dual) don’t store his teachings in our (dual) livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, if we say that we have not sinned, it’s as if we are saying that God is a liar, and we have not obeyed His Word.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if however we say that we have not sinned, we turn-God -into a liar, and his words have not been stored in our minds.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “If we are saying that we are not doing sin, it’s like we are saying God is lying. If it’s like that, we haven’t yet comprehended his word.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But if we say that we have committed no sins, then we are calling God a liar. Then we are not at all believing God’s word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say we have not done evil, we treat God like a liar and we do not walk with (obey) his word.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we falsely say that we haven’t sinned, but God said we are all sinners. So if we say we haven’t done sin, (it is) as though we are looking on God as a liar. And his Word hasn’t even a little entered our hearts then.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say, ‘I have never sinned,’ it is because we think wrongly that God lies. God’s word is not in our hearts for sure.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:3:

  • Uma: “All people who trust/hope-in Kristus like that, they make-holy their lives, like Kristus is holy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever expects/hopes that finally he will be like Almasi, he should always cause his liver to be clean/holy as Almasi is holy.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who expects Christ to return always sees carefully to His own behaviour so that there might be no evil just like there is no evil in the behaviour of Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Every person who expects these things, he faithfully-perseveres in turning-his-back-on evil so that his life will be continually clean as is Cristo just the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore whoever has this assurance, he is always persevering to live far from sin, because as for this Jesu-Cristo, he really is far from all sin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All those who await to become like Jesus Christ, now they depart from evil, they want to live good just like Christ lives.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And each of us if weare expecting that God will cause us to become like Christ is, we will do so that our hearts will constantly be clean like the heart of Jesus is clean.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And each one who when he remembers that he himself will be like Christ, habitually fixes his own heart, intending for it to be good, like Christ.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we are waiting for God to cause us to become like Christ, we give ourselves for cleansing. Thus good-hearted (no sin) we will become like Christ is good-hearted.”
  • Sayula Popoluca: “And whoever waits for what will happen when Jesus Christ comes, he cleans himself as Jesus Christ is clean.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:12:

  • Uma: “There has not yet been one person who has seen God. But even so, if we love one another, God remains in harmony with us, and it is truly evident/knowable in our behavior that we love God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There is no person who has seen God. But if we (incl.) love each other, God is here in our (incl.) livers. Our (incl.) love to God is also increasing and will finally be complete if we (incl.) steadfastly/continually love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is no person who has even seen God, however, if we love each other, God lives here in us, and our love for God here in our breaths is drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because even though no person has seen God, but if we love-one-another, God remains in us and the love of God that has no lack/fault can be seen in our lives.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “From long ago, no-one has seen God. But if we now really value one another, it’s clear that this God is now really indwelling us, and he has now completed this valuing by us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “No one has seen God. But when we love each other, then we walk with God. And it is true that we love God then.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “There is no one who has seen God. But if we are loving our fellows each of us the other, God is constantly with us and we are loving him as we ought.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “No person has seen God. But if we continually love one another, God resides in our hearts then, and we really love (look well) on God.”
  • Tzotzil: “Even if no one has seen God, if we love one another, he is there in our hearts. Thus more we love God really and truly.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 John 1:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:2:

  • Uma: “We(excl.) love you because we (incl.) believe in the true teaching, and that true teaching we hold-on-to forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “because the true teaching remains in out (incl.) livers and will remain with us (incl.) forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason we (excl.) hold you all dear is because we (incl.) hold tight to the true doctrine, and as for this true doctrine, it will never be removed from us (incl.) forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We love-one-another because the true teaching which remains in our minds forever has been stored in our minds.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We(excl.) hold you dear because this truth has now been able to take root in our mind/inner-being, and it won’t separate from us till forever.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because all of us now have the identical belief. And we know certainly that this is true. This we will believe forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We (ex) love you because we know what is true and we will walk with it forever.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We (ex) love you because you plant in your hearts the true Word, which resides in our hearts, and will never be lost.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “We (ex) love you because we are acquainted with that which is true now. And we will never forget it.”
  • Garifuna: “From within the belief which we are within, we have come to love you (the source of our love for you is our belief). This belief will be with us forever.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)