The Greek in Acts 3:21 that is translated as “until the time of universal restoration (or: restoration of all things”)” or similar in English is translated in various wayz
“until then when everything will be renewed” in Isthmus Mixe
“the day is coming that God will fix this earth” in Highland Popoluca
“he will come to make good again everything one time more” in Chuj
“when God will make everything good like it was in the beginning” in San Mateo Del Mar Huave
“until he comes to straighten things out” in Rincón Zapotec (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
“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.)
The phrase in Acts 7:51 that is translated into English as “uncircumcised in heart and ears” is translated into Afar as “You are people who have hearts that refuse God, and ears closed saying we didn’t hear God’s message.” (Source: Loren Bliese)
Other translations for “uncircumcised in heart and ears” include:
Rincón Zapotec: “it doesn’t enter your hearts or your ears. You are like those who don’t even believe”
Morelos Nahuatl: “you have your heart as unbelievers, you do not want to hear God’s word”
Highland Popoluca: “you never wanted to do God’s will, never truly believed”
Teutila Cuicatec: “you are just the same as those who do not believe God’s word because you do not obey”
Huichol: “you have not been marked with God’s sign in your hearts or in your ears” (or: “you are unruly and unsubmissive like an untamed, unbranded bronco”)
Ojitlán Chinantec: “you do not have the word-sign in your hearts. Your ears are clogged”
Isthmus Mixe: “your hearts and minds are not open” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Kaqchikel: “with your hearts unprepared” (source: Nida 1964, p. 220)
Elhomwe: “like people who do not know God” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Chichewa (interconfessional translation) “hard-headed.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 130)
Bariai: “You aren’t able to receive knowledge, certainly not. You shut your ears always to Deo’s talk.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Low German 1975 translation by Rudolf Muuß: “Your hearts and ears are no better than those of the heathen”
Uma: “No kidding your stubbornness! No kidding your making yourselves deaf to hearing the Word of the Lord God!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Your livers are livers not obeying/following God. And how deaf are your ears. You do not listen-to/heed God’s word/message.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
The Greek that is typically translated as “self-control” in English is translated in Yamba and Bulu as “(a) cool heart.” (Source: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. )
In Eastern Highland Otomi it is translated as “be careful what one does,” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “determine that they cannot do the things that are not good, and in Highland Popoluca as “not do like our evil thoughts want.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In the dominant Protestant German translation by Martin Luther (all editions) it is translated with Keuschheit or “chastity” in Galatians 5:23 and in the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung as Enthaltsamkeit or “abstinence.” While both of these versions used the Greek text as their source, these translations that emphasize the sexual component of “self-control” might well be influenced by the LatinVulgate translation that translated the one Greek term (ἐγκράτεια) with two Latin words: contentia (“temperateness”) and castitas (“chastity”). See also fruit of the Spirit). (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
The Greek chrió that is translated as “anoint” in English is translated in Chol as “choose.” Wilbur Aulie (in The Bible Translator 1957, p. 109ff. ) explains: “Another illustration of translating a figure in a non-figurative manner is the treatment of chrió ‘anoint’. In Luke 4:18, Acts 4:27 and 10:38, and in 2 Corinthians 1:21 it is metaphorical of consecration to office by God. We translated the metaphor ‘choose’.”
Other translations include “place as Savior” in Highland Popoluca, “appoint to rule” in Coatlán Mixe, “give work to do” in Tepeuxila Cuicatec, “give office to be our Savior” in Chuj (source of this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), and “perform ritual on” in Toposa (source: Schröder 2026, p. 127).
In Elhomwe it is translated as “anoint to choose and to appoint.” Note that anointing is a common practice in Malawi. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
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 Greek in Acts 2:3 that is translated as “tongues as of fire” or similar in English is translated as “it was seen like little fires” in Eastern Highland Otomi, “like little balls of fire” in Rincón Zapotec, as “little things like points of fire” in Highland Popoluca (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), and as “teeth of fire” in Bhele (source: Tim Raymond).
In German, a form of the word “Zunge” (“tongue”) is idiomatically used in combination with “Feuer” (“fire“), displayed particularly well by the New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with züngelnde Flammen or “flickering flames” (literally: “licking (as done with the tongue) flames”). (Source: Zetzsche)
