Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Acts 3:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 3:2:

  • Uma: “At the door/gate called Beautiful Gate, there was a man who had been lame from his birth. Every day he was always carried to that gate so he could request/beg of people who went to the House of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There at the prayer-house/temple gate which they called Beautiful Gate there was a man crippled since birth (lit. from inside the abdomen). Every day he was brought to that gate in order that he could beg for money from the people entering the prayer-house/temple.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there was a beggar there being carried by his companions who, from the time of his birth, he could not walk. Everyday he was carried by his companions and they placed him there near the gate of the House of God, that gate which is called Beautiful. The reason they placed him there was so that he might beg money from the people who go into the church.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There was furthermore a man who was born lame who was by what was called the Beautiful entrance of the Temple. Every-day they were carrying him to take him there to beg-alms from those-entering.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, there was a lame person who had been lame from birth. As for that person, every day he was taken by others to the entrance of the like-a-yard of the Templo which was called Good/Nice Entrance, for he begged-aid from all those going in.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “There was a man who was crippled from the time he was born. He was accustomed to be carried to the door of the big church. The door was called Beautiful. The man asked gifts of the people who passed there.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (1 John 2:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:7:

  • Uma: “Relatives whom I love, the command I write to you here, it is not a new command. This command, it is a command you have long heard, one which you received from the first. This command, it is the news that says we [should] love one another.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Now, my beloved friends, the command I am writing you here is not new. Since you trusted in Isa Almasi, this command has really been there with you. This is hep the preaching that you have heard that you should love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My dear brothers, it is not a new commandment this which I command you, for it was given long ago. This was commanded to you when you first believed. This command is that same Word which was taught to us (incl.) that we (incl.) should hold anyone of our companions dear.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My friends, it is not a new command that I make-known to you, for beginning-from your believing in Jesu Cristo, you have been hearing the command which says that we must love-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You whom I hold dear, this isn’t at all a new command which I am writing to you, but rather it’s that indeed, that which was originally commanded you long ago. As for this original command which I am referring to, it’s this word which has been taught which you have already heard, that we value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, this word that I write here in the letter and which I order you to do is not new. Rather this is what you were ordered to do when you believed the good news long ago.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You brethren, I write you to tell you what Jesus Christ commands us to do. What he commands us to do is not a new command but rather an old command which you have known since you began to trust in Christ. What he commands us to do, that very thing is what you have heard since the beginning.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, the Word that I am writing to you isn’t new, but it is the same word which we heard from the beginning a long time ago, that we love one another.”
  • Tzotzil: “My brethren, it is not a new command that I am writing to you. I am only writing to you the command that long ago you heard when you began to believe God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:10)

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

  • Uma: “This is a sign so that we know who are-children of God and who are-children of the King of Evil-ones. All people who do not do God’s will, they are not God’s children. So also people who do not love their relatives, they are not God’s children.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This is the difference between the children of God and the children of Satan/demon: the one who does not do the straight or does not love his fellow-men, he is not a child of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person whose behavior is not righteous, this is a sign that he is not a son of God. Neither is any person a son of God who does not love his companion. By means of this, we can perceive who the sons of God are and who are the subjects of Satan.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Our means-of-distinguishing the children of God and the children of the Diablo is this: the people who are not children of God, they are the ones who are not doing what is good and who are not loving their companions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Herein we can recognize whoever are now children of God, and who are still children of Satanas. As for the one who doesn’t persevere in doing righteousness in the sight of God and does not value his sibling in believing, it’s certain that he is not a child of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now it will be known who are the ones who are God’s children, and who are the devil’s children. Everyone who does not want to do good nor wants to love his fellowman is not God’s child.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “This shows who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. Whoever of us if we do not walk straight (are not righteous) we are not the children of God. And whoever of us if we do not love our fellowman we are not the children of God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “In this way we can know which are children of God and which are children of the devil. He who habitually doesn’t do good isn’t God’s child, neither is one who doesn’t love his sibling.”
  • Tzotzil: “Thus it appears if we are the children of God, or if we are the children of the devil. Because if what we do is evil, if we do not love the brethren, we are not God’s children for sure.”
  • Garifuna: “The one who is not level (righteous) is not God’s offspring, nor the one who does not love his own kind ones (brother). Thus it is that God’s offspring and the devil’s offspring are known.”
  • Sayula Popoluca: “We know God’s sons and the Devil’s man because whoever doesn’t do that which is true, and doesn’t love his brother is not God’s son.” (Source for this and four above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:19:

  • Uma: “We are loving, because God is the one who first loved us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) love because God first loved us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason that He is now very dear in our breath is because we were first dear in His breath.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We love because God went-ahead to love us (i.e. loved us first).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The truth is, we now ourselves hold dear and value because we are already being held dear and valued by God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “We love God now, because we have now understood that it was he who loved us first.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We love God because he first began to love us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We love (esteem) God because first God loved us.”
  • Tzotzil: “First God loved us therefore we love God now.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 John 1:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:9:

  • Uma: “All people who wander/detour from the true teaching, and they do not follow the teaching of Kristus, those people are not connected with God. People who remain following the teaching of Kristus, they are connected with God the Father and with God the Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever does not remain/stick-to the teaching of Almasi but goes beyond (it), God is not there with him. Whoever stays/remains with the teaching of Almasi, both the Father and the Son are with him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person who has abandoned the true doctrine taught by Christ so that he might hold fast to a false doctrine that he has added on, he has not become one with God. Anyone, by contrast, who holds fast to the true doctrine, he is the one who has been made one with our Father God and His Son.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Any person, if he doesn’t continue to follow what Cristo taught, but rather exceeds it, he doesn’t know God. But the one who carries-on in following what Cristo taught, God the Father and his Child also are in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the one who is not holding fast to the teaching of Cristo, because he is (emphatic) overriding it, he is really far from God. However, whoever is holding fast to this teaching of Cristo, he is really being held fast to by God the Father and Son.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the person who does not want to say only what Christ taught, but speaks other words which Christ did not teach, he is a person who does not walk with God. But the person who speaks only what Christ taught is one who walks with the Father and also with the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Any of us if we are forsaking what Christ taught us and are taking another road, God is not with us. But if we are constantly heeding what Christ taught us, our father God and his son are with us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But whoever wants to go beyond (outdo) God’s teaching, and doesn’t want to remain in the teaching of Christ, but then he isn’t with God. But he who remains in the teaching of Christ, he is with the Father, and also with his Son.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Whoever goes another direction (all one verb stem) and no longer follows what Christ taught does not know (is not acquainted with)God. But whoever follows what Christ taught, he truly knows God the Father and His Son.”
  • Sayula Popoluca: “He who goes astray after another doctrine and doesn’t remain (stay with) Christ’s doctrine, he doesn’t have fellowship with God . . ..” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Acts 8:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 8:22:

  • Uma: “Repent from your (sing.) sin, and ask the Lord to forgive the evil intention of your (sing.) heart.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So repent of that evil you are thinking and ask forgiveness from God, perhaps he will forgive that evil you are thinking.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Remove from your breath this evil you are thinking and beg for forgiveness from God because he might forgive you for what you thought,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Repent therefore of those evil thoughts and purposes of yours (sing.), and plead with God that if it may be possible, he will forgive you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore now, repent-of/be-sorry-for this evil of yours. Pray about it to God, that if possible, he will forgive you for this which you are thinking in your mind/inner-being.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Now change your heart from the evil and ask forgiveness of the Lord in order that he can forgive you of the evil you were thinking.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (1 John 2:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:18:

  • Uma: “My children, the end/finish of the world has almost arrived. And like you have often been taught, the one who is named the Enemy of Kristus will certainly arrive. So also, at this time many are they who have appeared who are the enemies of Kristus. That is a sign that the end of the world has almost arrived.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “My children-grandchildren, soon the end of this world will arrive. You have been told already that there will come that/who opposes Almasi. Now there are already many here who oppose Almasi therefore we (dual) know that the end of the world is near.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My children, this time will soon come to an end. You have heard that in the future there will appear on titled the Enemy of Christ. Today there are already many enemies of Christ, and because of that, we know that it will really be soon that this time will come to an end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My children whom I love, Cristo’s coming again is near. We know that the One-who-Opposes Cristo will come first, and here now those who oppose him have already become-many, so that’s how we know that his coming again is near.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You who are like my children, this ending is now near, which is the end of the world. You have already heard that someone will come who is an opponent of Cristo. And even right now, many are opposing this Cristo, therefore we know now that the end of the world is really close.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, now it is close to the ending of the days. You have heard that the enemy of Christ must come into existence. Now there are many who are against Christ. Therefore we know that now it is getting close to the ending of the days.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, the time is about to arrive for the person to come who will do contrary to Jesus Christ. And you (pl.) have already heard that he is coming, and likewise now many people are doing contrary to Jesus Christ. Therefore we (in) know the time is about to arrive.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “You children, it is the end now, you have heard that a deceiver-Christ, that is, an enemy of Christ, is coming. And now have appeared a lot of enemies of Christ. So we know it is about the end now.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, it is the time of ending of days right now. We (in) have heard that the enemy of Christ is coming when it comes the time of the ending of days. Right now have already arisen many enemies of Christ. Therefore we (in) know that the end of days is right now.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:21:

  • Uma: “So, relatives whom I love, if our hearts no longer accuse us of wrong, we are brave to face God,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore my beloved friends, if we (dual) know in our (dual) livers that we (dual) have no sin, we (dual) are not afraid to go into the presence of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since we know that He no longer has any reason to punish us, it’s possible that our trust in Him is very big when we pray to Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore my friends, if our thoughts/minds no longer accuse us, we are brave to approach God in our praying to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “My dear ones, if there is nothing in ourselves which our mind/inner-being is judging, of course we will have no fear when we approach God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now, my dear brethren, if we are not afraid then we can be brave to pray to God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You whom I love, if in our head-hearts we know that we are not guilty, we are not afraid of God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “So if our hearts tell us that we are following God well, then we won’t fear to talk to God.”
  • Tzotzil: “You that I love, if we are one-hearted in the presence of God, thus we do not fear to talk to him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)