Language-specific Insights

complete verse (John 6:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 6:31:

  • Uma: “Give us (excl.) food, like what our ancestors ate long ago. While they were in the desert, they ate food called manna, like is written in the Holy Book: ‘He gave them food from heaven.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They said to Isa, ‘What sign are you going to show us (excl.) so that we (excl.) will believe in you? Our (incl.) forefathers ate manna there in the lonely place in old times. The holy-book says, ‘They were given food from heaven.’ Na, you,’ they said to Isa, ‘what deed can you do?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because long ago our ancestors when they were in the land which cannot be lived in, manna is the food that God gave them. Because there is a written word of God which says, ‘Food from heaven is what Moses gave them.’ ‘” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for Moses, he fed our ancestors manna in their walking through the place with no inhabitants. And what God caused-to-be-written says exactly that also, ‘He fed them with food from heaven.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because as for Moises, he also was able to do like that, when he was leading our ancestors there in the wilderness place, for they got to eat food called manna. For it says in the writings, being written, ‘Food which comes from heaven/sky is what he gave them,” they said in addition.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Our ancestors ate in the wilds like it is written in the Holy Book which says, ‘He gave the people the tortilla which came from heaven.’ ‘” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 13:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:22:

  • Uma: “‘The seed that fell in the middle of the thorns stands-for people who hear the Word of God, but they are busy always just thinking about their lives in the world and they just want to gather riches in the world. All that makes them busy, with the result that there is no dwelling-place for the Word of God in their hearts, and there is no meaning/use for that Word in their lives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And the seeds that fell into the thorns is a figure of the people who hear the message of God. But they are always thinking about their troubles in the world. That is what is the most valuable to them, their wealth. Therefore in the figure of plants, the message of God which they have heard is choked and does not bear fruit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that which was planted which fell on the soil where the weeds were thorny there, it refers to the people who listen to the word, however they forget it because of their cares here in the world and their desire for money. And because of that the word of God profits nothing in them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What fell also in the thorny-area, they are those who hear the word of God, but they get-sidetracked by what they are worrying about and by their getting-rich, therefore the word that they heard is choked-out and it doesn’t bear-fruit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well as for this one, this scattered-on-place where weeds are sprouting all over, they are the ones who listen to the word of God, but their mind/thinking is bothered/busy with things here in the world. Wanting to increase wealth is what is big in their minds. What else but this word of God gets overpowered by this which is in their mind/thinking. That’s why there’s no fruit of believing in their lives.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Other people are compared with the earth in which there are thorns where the seed landed. These people hear about the word. But the work they have is all that they set their hearts on day after day. They earnestly seek how to become rich. Thus the word they heard did them no good.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 12:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 12:19:

  • Uma: “Don’t you say/think like this: all that we (excl.) write here, we (excl.) write to defend ourselves. Relatives whom I love! All that we (excl.) say here, we (excl.) say in our (excl.) connection with Kristus. God gazes down on us (incl.)! All that we (excl.) say, all that we (excl.) do, we (excl.) say and do to strengthen your faith.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Perhaps you think-mistakenly that this what we (excl.) are doing here is defending ourselves. But that is not true. We (excl.) speak in God’s sight as people belonging to Almasi. All that we (excl.) do to you my friends, is for your good so that your trust in Almasi becomes strong.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Perhaps you’re thinking mistakenly that by means of what I am saying to you I am letting you know that we haven’t made my mistakes. However, that’s not my purpose because God can testify that this I am saying to you is what I should say because of my being made one with Christ. And I’ve written all of this, dear brothers, so that your faith might be strengthened.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What is perhaps in your minds is that we (excl.) have been defending ourselves (excl.) to you by means of what we’ve (excl.) been saying. But the truth of it is, we (excl.) have said everything in the sight of God because of our being-united-with Cristo, and we (excl.) have no purpose other than the strengthening of your faith my friends.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “In these words of mine, I’m not as-might-be-said striving-hard to defend myself to you. Of course it’s not you who are the ones to judge me. For I am united/tied-together with Cristo and only to God do I need to defend myself. I am testifying, my dear ones, that all that I do is for the firm-establishing of your believing/obeying.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do not think that I am speaking these words just because I want you to look well upon me. It isn’t that. Rather it is the word which Christ wants me to speak that I am speaking. And I want that God will look well upon the word I speak to you. Now my dear brothers, in all I words I speak to you, I am hunting for how to strengthen your faith.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 6:63)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 6:63:

  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “People live because their spirit is in them. A person’s flesh is worthless if the spirit is absent from the body. Those words that I told you give eternal life, the way a person’s spirit gives him natural life.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Well, the Holy Spirit, he is the one who gives eternal life. The life of just men can’t give life everlasting up in heaven. The words that I declare unto you are for your heart, and they give life everlasting.”
  • Chol: “That which is for our spirits gives us our lives. That which is for our body does not give us that. My words that I told you are for your spirit. They give you your life.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “It is the Spirit of God who gives life. The power/authority of man is useless. The words which I spoke to you come from the Spirit of God and give life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I tell you,’ said Isa, ‘it is God’s Spirit hep that causes us (incl.) to live. As for the power/strength of mankind there is no use (in it), it cannot make mankind alive. What I have taught to you causes life because this comes out from the Spirit of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The only one who can give life forever is the Holy Spirit. There is nothing that a body alone can do. The words which I said to you come from the Holy Spirit, and they can give life forver.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who gives life, it is God’s Spirit, not the body. The body is of no use there. As for what I have been saying to you, they are from God’s Spirit, so exactly that is what gives life, provided you believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “These things that I am teaching, what they all come down to is (lit. there’s no other returning-place than) things concerning the spirit and life which is without ending. It’s true, the things referred to (lit. being caused to be hit) in this teaching of mine, those are from where this life can be gotten. It can’t be gotten from flesh which is eaten.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Only the Holy Spirit gives the new life. That which I told you means that you should believe in me, not that I was saying that you should eat me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 13:54)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:54:

  • Uma: “going to his own town. There he taught in the house of prayer. The people were surprised/startled to hear his words, they said: ‘Who could have taught him, that he is smart/clever like that? And where is his power to do miracles from?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He went back to his place and he preached/taught in the prayer-house. The people wondered, they said, ‘Where did this man get his knowledge/wisdom and his power to do the wonder-causing deeds?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and went to his own village. And there in the worshipping place, he taught the people there. The people who listened to him were amazed. They said, ‘Who taught him? Why does he know how to do miracles?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and returned to the town where he grew-up. He went to teach in the synagogue, and those who heard were surprised and they said, ‘Where did this-one get his wisdom and power to do amazing-things?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He returned home to the town of Nazaret where he grew up. When he was there again, he taught in their worship-place. Those who heard were really amazed. They were saying, ‘Where did this fellow get this understanding/wisdom of his? How can he do the amazing things?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He came to Nazareth, which was the town in which he grew up. He went to the church to teach the people. The people were astounded at the words he spoke and they said: ‘How did he come to know these things that he knows? How can he do miracles?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Galatians 1:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 1:17:

  • Uma: “Nor did I go first to the town of Yerusalem to request-teaching of those who had become apostles of the Lord Yesus before me. [Rather,] off I went to the land of Arab and from there I returned again to the town of Damsyik.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I did not even go to Awrusalam to the people commissioned before me. But I immediately went to the land Arab and then I went back again to Damaskus.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And I did not go to the town of Jerusalem so that I might ask for advice from the first apostles of Jesus Christ, but rather I went to the province of Arabia and then I returned to the town of Damascus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Neither did I go to Jerusalem to converse-with those who preceded me as apostles, but rather I went immediately to Arabia. I then returned to Damascus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I didn’t as-might-be-expected go to Jerusalem to learn from those who were apostles before me, but rather I went immediately to Arabia, then I returned to Damasco.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And I did not first go to Jerusalem in order to study what was taught by Christ’s representatives who were appointed before I was appointed. Rather I went to the land of Arabia. Returning from there, again I went to the town of Damascus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 7:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:24:

  • Uma: “Don’t look at what is visible only on the outside. Make-straight your examining so you will see what is right/true.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Do not judge me immediately when you have not investigated/clarified. But when/if you judge, follow straight/righteous judgment.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t consider that the action of a person is bad if you have not really investigated. But rather, investigate his actions so that you might know what is right.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You ought not to accuse a person immediately based on your first viewpoint, but rather you ought to thoroughly consider first what the truth of it is so that there will be a proper basis for your accusation.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s necessary that your judging is with straightness/righteousness, not judgment which takes-wrong-turnings/is-incorrect.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Don’t just glance at something and at once make a judgment. When you judge first truly know about what you speak.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 14:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 14:28:

  • Uma: “Petrus said: ‘If that is really you (sing.), Lord, call me also to come [to you] walking on top of the water.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Petros called, he said, ‘Sir, if it is you, tell me to come there to you walking on the water.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Peter said, ‘Lord, it if truly is you, act supernaturally so that I might go to you walking here on top of the water.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Pedro said, ‘Lord, if that truly is you (sing.), call/invite-me to go there walking on the surface of the water.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Pedro heard, he spoke saying, ‘Lord, if that really is you, cause me to walk on top of the water to meet you.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Peter said to Jesus: ‘But if it is you Lord, cause that I can walk on top of the water. I will go to where you are coming.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)