Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 Timothy 4:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 4:14:

  • Uma: “Don’t be lax at doing that work of yours, according to the ability that the Holy Spirit has given you. He gave you that ability when people announced the Word of God to advise you, and the religion leaders put their hands on your pate to appoint you as a religion leader.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Really use (sing.) the expertise given by God’s Spirit to you. This expertise/skill was given to you previously after/when there were words from God foretold about you and the elders placed their hands on you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Do not forget that ability that was given to you by God by means of the blessing of a prophet and by means of the elders laying their hands on you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Don’t ignore/let-alone the ability that the Holy Spirit gave you (sing.) previously when-the leaders of the believers -laid-hands-on you and when-the prophet(s) -said that that was your (sing.) ability, but rather use that-aforementioned ability of yours (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Be careful not to disregard the ability which was graced to you by the Espiritu Santo, when you were prayed for by the overseers putting their hands on your head. This grace, it was-caused-to-be-comprehended by one who was-caused-to-be-a-prophet who had-it-put-in-his-mind by the Espiritu Santo at that time.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The men who lead in the church put their hands on your head and told you what word God wanted that you do. Concerning this work God gave you, don’t let your work be in vain.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 4:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:14:

  • Uma: “But those judges, they did not dare refute. Because that lame one who had been healed was also there standing together with Petrus and Yohanes.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But they could say nothing to argue with them because they could see there the man who had been crippled standing beside Petros and Yahiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They wanted to speak against that miracle which Peter and company had done, however since the man who was cured was there also, there wasn’t anything they could say.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “but they did not answer anything, because there was the one whose lameness was removed standing-with them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Also, because they could see that person who had been made well standing alongside Pedro-and-companion, they couldn’t find anything as a response.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Mark 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 3:23:

  • Uma: “That is why Yesus called them to come close to them, and he spoke to them with a few parables, he said: ‘How can demons expel their fellow demons?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa called those people and he spoke-in-parables to them. He said, ‘Na, how can a demon cast out a demon? It is as if he casts himself out. It is not possible.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus told the people to come near, and there were parables which he taught them. He said, ‘It cannot be that Satan will drive away his companion demons.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That being so, Jesus called them and said parabling, ‘How can Satan cause-himself -to-leave?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Jesus observed that, he caused the people to come close, for he spoke a few illustrations. He said, ‘How does Satanas drive out the evil spirits he rules over, which is like he is opposing his own self?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Timothy 6:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 6:5:

  • Uma: “and mutually-taking-offense. The thinking of people like that is no longer proper, they don’t know the true teaching. They say [emphatic] they can get benefit/profit from their being-religious.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “These people always oppose/argue because their thinking no longer hits-the-mark and they no longer know the true teaching. They think mistakenly that if they are religious they will become rich.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and mutual disturbance. This is the behavior of people whose minds have become malicious, and they will not obey the true doctrine. They think mistakenly that to surrender oneself to God is a way of making money.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and continual quarrels, because their minds are already evil and they have gone-far-from the true teaching. They think that if they believe in God, they will thereby-become-rich.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “These people, they are always quarreling/challenging for evil has filled their mind/thinking. The truth is now really lost to them. They have the mistaken idea that their obeying/following God is a means-to-earn-money by which to get rich.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “There is no end to their arguments with people because their minds are evil. Concerning the true word they do not know it. They think that the word of faith is worth very much because they think that they will gain much money from it. But as for you, do not carry them along as friends.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 5:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 5:9:

  • Uma: “Petrus said: ‘Why are your hearts the same, you couple, wanting to draw-out/fish-for the anger of the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The people who just buried your (sing.) husband, there they are at the door. They will also take you (sing.) out and bury you (sing.).'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then Petros said, ‘Why did you and your husband agree to try to deceive the Spirit of God? Listen,’ Petros said, ‘those who buried your husband are now there at the mouth of the door (idiom). And they will carry you also outside.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Peter said again, ‘Why did you agree together that you would put the Holy Spirit to the test? The men are now arriving again who buried your husband, and they will carry you out also because they will bury you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon Pedro said, ‘Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? There in the doorway are the ones who buried your (sing.) spouse. They will also take you (sing.) out.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Pedro said, ‘Why have you agreed like that, to test the Espiritu Santo who was caused to indwell our bodies by the Lord? There now at the entrance, having returned now, are the ones who went to bury your husband. Now, because you (pl.) were in agreement about this lie, you will get to follow your husband.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Mark 4:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:20:

  • Uma: “‘There are also people who can be compared to seeds that fall in rich ground. They hear God’s Word, they immediately receive it. In those people God’s Word really does have fruit. There are some who have a little fruit, there are some who have much fruit, there are some who have very much fruit.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the other people, (they are) figuratively like good soil. They hear the message of God and they believe it. If in the figure of what was planted, the message of God which they heard bears fruit in their livers. Some have enough fruit, some much and some very much.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That which was planted which falls on good ground, that is like people who hear the word of God and believe, and the word does good in them. For some, the word does a little bit of good in them. And others, the word does a large amount of good in them. And others, the word does very much good in them.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As-for the ones-that-fell on the good soil, they are those who are listening to God’s word while-simultaneously also they understand it, and the word has results in their lives. There are those with few results, there are (those with) measurably-more and there are also (those with) many.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And as for this, what is meant by the good soil/ground which was scattered on, it’s the people who truly believe/obey the word of God which they heard. Well since it is taken to heart (lit. stored in their heads), that’s why their(emphatic) believing bears fruit, like those full-headed grain-stalks with thirty, sixty and a hundred grains each.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Mopán Maya: “As many as are planted in the good ground, these are like those told the word of God by the man. They are believing/obeying the word. They begin to become good men. It is exactly the same as a good plant. There are some whose goodness is coming out like a plant that is giving thirty fruits, etc.” (The phrasing here was changed because “bearing fruit” meant “bearing children”)
  • Korku: “Some people are like the seed sown in good ground. They hear (obey) the word and follow it and are like plants that bring forth grain. In the way that the seed sown in good ground gave birth to thirty grains, sixty grains, or a hundred grains, in that same way the ones who acknowledge (follow obey) God’s word do very good work.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 Timothy 1:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Timothy 1:16:

  • Uma: “But as for Onesiforus, many times he comforted me. For even though I was imprisoned, he wasn’t ashamed to visit me. When he arrived here in Roma, he exerted effort to search for me until he met with me. And you yourself know how much was his help to me before [lit., yesterday] when I was in Efesus. I call out to the Lord, I request that he bless all the relatives of Onesiforus, and that he show love to Onesiforus on the Judgment Day.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But as for Onesiporos and family may God pity/have mercy on them all because Onesiporus often encouraged my liver. He was not ashamed to visit me even though I am here in prison.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, may the Lord show mercy to Onesiphorus and his family, for he is always helping me here in my troubles. He is not ashamed to visit me, a prisoner,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for Onesiforus, may God show-mercy/grace to all them who are a family-unit, because many times he was making-me-happy. He was also not ashamed at my being-in-chains,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “However as for Onesiforo, he was always encouraging me (lit.strengthening my mind/inner-being) when he was still here, therefore I pray that hopefully his household will always be shown grace/mercy by the Lord. For Onesiforo really isn’t ashamed of me, even though I’m a prisoner.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But concerning Onesiphorus, may God bless all who live in his house. Because many times he comforted me. He was not ashamed because I was in prison.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 5:41)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 5:41:

  • Uma: “Those apostles went away from the gathering. Their hearts were very glad, they said: ‘We are blessed/fortunate, because God has chosen us to be persecuted and reviled because of our following of Yesus.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then the commissioned ones departed from those councilors and they were very glad because they were now considered worthy by God to suffer/endure persecution for their faith/trust in Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the apostles left, and they were very happy because they were considered by God to be able to endure their being shamed because of their trust in Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When the apostles left, their happiness was great because God had counted them worthy to be publicly-shamed for Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well since like that had happened to the apostles, they were very happy as they left the Sanedrin, for they had been given honor by God, for he had allowed/caused them to experience shame because of their being united/tied-together with Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave. “So the apostles when they left the big meeting they were very happy because Father God had caused them to suffer at the hands of the authorities there for Father Jesus.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “When they went out from the council they were happy in their hearts because they had seen suffering because of Jesus.”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “The apostles went from the junta with much joy. They rejoiced because God gave them the opportunity to suffer for Jesus’ sake.”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “Then Jesus’ sent ones came out from before the authorities. They rejoiced that God was pleased with their lives even to considering it appropriate for them to suffer for Jesus.” (Source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)