Language-specific Insights

with you/whom I am well pleased

The Greek that is translated as “with you (or: whom) I am well pleased” in English is often translated in other languages with figurative expressions

  • “you are the heart of my eye” (Huastec)
  • “you arrive at my gall” (with the gall being the seat of the emotions and intelligence) (Mossi)
  • “I see you very well” (Tzotzil)
  • “my bowels are sweet with you” (Shilluk) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • “you pull at my heart” (Central Pame)
  • “my thoughts are arranged” (Mashco Piro)
  • “my heart rests in you” (Wè Southern) (source for this and two above: Nida 1952, p. 127).

In Nepali translations, Jesus is referred to in this expression by God the Father with the medium honorific third person pronoun yinī (यिनी) whereas Jesus addresses God the Father with the high honorific pronoun tapā’ī (तपाई) (see for instance John 17), “so that the subordination of Jesus to God the Father is rightly maintained in Nepali.” (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )

vain things

The Greek in Acts 4:25 that is translated as “vain things” or similar in English is translated in the following ways:

  • “as vain things plan together but in vain” (Chuj)
  • “imagining many things which they were not able to do” (Morelos Nahuatl)
  • “think up things that are not at all important” (Central Pame)
  • “tried to do God bad but in vain” (Highland Popoluca)
  • “that evil they think to do will never be carried out” (Mezquital Otomi)
  • “think a lot about big things but can’t do them” (Tataltepec Chatino (Source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

to the ends of the earth

The Greek in Acts 1:8 that is translated in English as “to the ends of the earth” or similar is translated in Enlhet as “everywhere” because it would have had negative spiritual implication in the worldview of the native language speakers if translated more literally. (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )

Other translations include:

See also the ends of the earth.

will not be shaken

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “will not be shaken” or similar is translated in Enlhet as “innermost will not fall.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )

Other translations include:

times of refreshing

The Greek in Acts 3:20 that is translated as “times of refreshing” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Zeit des Aufatmens or “time to breath again freely.”

In Morelos Nahuatl it is translated as “in times of heart-joy,” in Central Pame as “a time when God alone is going to cool you, you will be strengthened,” in Lalana Chinantec as “your hearts will be refreshed as the heart of a person who does work in the hot sun is refreshed when he drinks water,” and in Highland Popoluca as “like the corn is refreshed by rain after drought, so the Lord will refresh you.” (Source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

the whole message about this life

The Greek in Acts 5:20 that is translated as “the whole message about this life” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with die lebendige Botschaft ohne Abstriche or “the living message without sacrificing anything.”

In Desano it is translated as “the new life in the Chief God,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all the words of this Life the new message about the health of men’s hearts,” in Central Pame as “all this message that gives them their life.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

every people under heaven

The Greek in Acts 2:5 that is translated “every people (or: “nation”) under heaven” or similar in English is translated as “many other groups of towns” in Isthmus Mixe, “all the villages in the world” in San Mateo Del Mar Huave, “all over the world where there are people” in Central Pame, and “every tribe there is in the world” in Chuj. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

pour out Spirit

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “pour out (my) Spirit” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • “spread Spirit” (has idea of distribution without exhausting the source, as light may be spread from person and the total amount of light increased) in Coatlán Mixe
  • “send Spirit, he will enter the hearts of all people” in Central Pame and Lalana Chinantec
  • “give Spirit” in Isthmus Mixe
  • “send Spirit to possess people” in Teutila Cuicatec
  • “put on you the Holy Spirit of God” in Eastern Highland Otomi
  • “give-down Spirit” in Chuj(source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)