Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Luke 5:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 5:30:

  • Noongar: “Levi also invited Pharisees and teachers of the Law so they also came. They became angry about Jesus’ disciples, asking, ‘Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and other bad people?'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Seeing that, several religious leaders and religion teachers who followed the teaching of the Parisi people were continually grumbling. They said to Yesus’ disciples: ‘Why-in-the-world are you eating and drinking together/at-one-time with tax collectors and sinners?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There were some Pariseo and teachers of the religious law, they also were Pariseo, who were not pleased, so they said to the disciples of Isa, ‘Why do you mix in eating together with the tax-collectors and other sinful people?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were some Pharisees and some teachers of the Law who saw these people, and they said to the disciples of Jesus, they said, ‘Why do you all join in to eat and drink with cheating tax collectors and transgressors?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon some of the Pharisees and their companions who were teachers of the law, they criticized Jesus’ disciples saying, ‘Why do you eat-with and drink-with tax collectors and other sinful people?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, the Pariseo and their companions, the explainers of law, who observed this criticized. They said to the disciples of Jesus, ‘Why do you eat and drink together with money-grabbing official receivers of payment and those others who don’t fully obey our (incl.) laws?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 4:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:15:

  • Uma: “Whoever admits/confesses that Yesus is God’s Child, God remains in harmony with them, and they with God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever confesses/says-it-is-true to people that Isa is God’s Son, he remains/is-steadfast with God and God remains/is-steadfast with him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is anyone who says he believes in Jesus the Son of God, God lives in him and he has become one with God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Child of God, he remains in God and God also remains in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now, whoever testifies that as for Jesus, he is the Son of God, God really is holding fast to him and as for him, he is also holding fast to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who says that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God is one who walks with God, and God will not depart from him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say that Jesus is God’s son, God is constantly present with us and we are constantly present with God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who speaks truly (the truth) that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in his heart, and the person lives with God.”
  • Tzotzil: “If plainly we say that Jesus is God’s Son, God is in our hearts. Therefore we are in the presence of God.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “God abides (keeps living) in the one who says, ‘Jesus is God’s Son.’ He also abides with God.”
  • Yanesha’: “The one who admits that Jesus is our Father’s Son, that is the one who is at one with our Father.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘Jesus Christ is God’s son,’ saying, one who tells, God is (lives) in him, and also He is (lives) in God.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Acts 27:39)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 27:39:

  • Uma: “When it became light, the workers of the ship saw that the land was visible. But they did not know what the name of that place was. And they also saw, there was a corner of the sea with beach that was not rocky. That is why their plan was, if they were able, to go aground there.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When it was day, they did not recognize what island that was that they could see nearby, but they could see the sea going-inland/a bay which had sand at the shore. They thought, if possible they would let the ship go aground there on that sand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when it was morning, as for that land which we had come near to, the workers there on the ship did not recognize it. They saw this inlet of the sea and there was there a sandy beach, and they thought that if it were possible, it would be good to land the ship there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When it had dawned, the workers saw-in-the-distance the edge of the ocean. They were not able-to-distinguish what country it was, but they saw that its edge was indented and sandy/gravelly, and they thought that perhaps it would be possible for them to direct (lit. cause-to-walk) the ship there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When it was really light now, they didn’t recognize which that land was to which we had come close. But they saw that there was a beach. ‘Ah,’ they said, ‘probably that’s a sandy-cove.’ And then they discussed that if possible they would try to come into shore there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Luke 6:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:23:

  • Noongar: “You will become very happy when this happens, and dance joyfully, because God will give you many great things, things of his Heaven. These people, their ancestors did the same things to God’s prophets.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Because so also the actions of their ancestors persecuting the prophets long ago. So, if they do like that to you, jump-up-and-down, and make your hearts glad, because great will be the reward/blessing that your receive in heaven.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Their fathers did the same to the prophets. When the day comes that this happens to you, you will be very glad and you will jump because of your joy for your reward in heaven will be great.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: (includes verse 22) “Far better off are you if people are against you and they don’t accept you as their companion, and they treat you shamefully, and they talk about you and say that your custom is bad, because you follow me, the older sibling of mankind. This is what their ancestors did long ago to the prophets of God. Rejoice very much if this happens to you, because how very great will be God’s reward to you which you can look forward to in Heaven.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If they do that to you, you should be happy and jump from/with your happiness, because the reward that has been stored-away for you in heaven is extremely large. For what they do to you, that indeed also is what their ancestors have done to those who were prophets.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Be happy! Really jump-up-and-down for happiness if/when this happens, because really far from ordinary is what you will be rewarded with in heaven. Remember that like that indeed is how their ancestors treated the prophets of the past.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (2 John 1:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:5:

  • Uma: “So, I request to you (sing.), mother/woman, that we love one another. What I write here, it is not a new command. This command is a command that we have heard all along from the first.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Na, now I have to ask/request something of you, Woman: we (incl.) should love each other. This command is not new now but it has been here with us (incl.) since we (incl.) first trusted in Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, sister, I beg you that we (incl.) might love each other. This is not a new command which I write to you, for this was given a long time ago when we first believed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But there is nonetheless that which I want to tell you: it is necessary that we love-one-another. This is not a new command, because we have been hearing it since the first.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now, Friend, there’s something I’d hopefully like to ask you (sing.) to do. As for this, it’s not a new command which I am writing, but rather that original command which was here with us from long ago, this that we value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now, my dear sister, I want to say a word to you now. And this word I will tell you is not a new word, rather it is like the word you at first were ordered to do. Just the same is what I tell you now, that each of us must love all our fellow-believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And what we must do, woman, is to love our fellows each of us the other, because God commanded us to do that. As for this which I am saying we should do, it is not a new commandment, but something which we have known since we first believed.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And now, you woman, chosen of God, I have something I want to tell you. And it isn’t new what I will tell you, but just like was told us at the beginning, that we love one another.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Now, Señora, that which I am writing to you that you should do is not new, but that which you already knew from time past, where it says we should love one another. I ask you(sg) that you do as this says.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Acts 28:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:27:

  • Uma: “Because their hearts are unmoving/stiff, they have made-themselves-deaf and made-themselves-blind: they refuse to see with their eyes, they refuse to hear with their ears, they refuse to have their hearts made to understand. In the end, they will not return to me, and I will not give them salvation/goodness.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because the people of this tribe their heads are hard (hard-headed). They stop/close their ears, they close their eyes. If their eyes would see and their ears could hear and their minds/thoughts would understand, they would come back/return to me,’ God said, ‘and I would heal them.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore I speak these words because as for this people their minds are hard. They stop up their ears and they shut their eyes, because if they didn’t they would be able to see and they would be able to hear, and they would understand what is right, and they would trust me and I would heal them.’ ‘” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because those people, their mind/thoughts have already become-stubborn (lit. hard). They turn-a-deaf-ear-to the truth while-simultaneously they close-their-eyes lest they be-able-to-see, able-to-hear and able-to-understand and turn-to-face me so that I will heal them.’ says the written word of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really as for these people, they have hardened their heads. They cause their ears to let things go right through and they are closing their eyes. For if it wasn’t like that, they may indeed be able to see, able indeed to hear, able indeed to understand, and they would indeed return to me, that I would indeed make them well, however they won’t.”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quotes, see Isaiah 6:10.

complete verse (Luke 7:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 7:7:

  • Noongar: “and I know, I am not good enough to come to you. Only speak, and my man will be healed.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “That is why I am not brave to go to You, Father, because I am not worthy to meet you (sing.). Even if you (sing.) just say one word, my slave will definitely be healed.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For you are really great, therefore I thought myself not worthy to come out to you. But just speak and my servant will be well.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For your rank is very great, and I’m not even worthy to come out and meet you. Your power is very great, and even if you just say, ‘May he be cured,’ my servant will be healed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Moreover he is reportedly not worthy to go appear to you (sing.). Therefore your (sing.) words reportedly would suffice to heal his servant.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And well, it isn’t possible/acceptable either that I approach you for you really surpass me. I am sure that if you just speak, this servant of mine will really get better.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Jude 1:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Jude 1:9:

  • Uma: “Yet even Michael himself, who is the warchief of all the angels, he was not brave / did not dare to disparage or accost the King of Evil-ones. When the prophet Musa died, they argued and fought-over the body of Musa, who would get it. Michael, he did not dare accost the King of Evil-ones with his own authority/power. All he said to him was: "The Lord himself will be angry with you!"” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Even surprise Mika’il, the leader of angels, did not do such a thing. At the time when he and the leader of demons quarreled, when they were arguing as to who should get the body (corpse) of Musa, he did not dare to talk-bad-about/insult the leader of demons. He only said, ‘According to God’s wish.’ (A Yakan expression meaning, God will do the right thing to you.)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And even Michael, that highest angel of God, he doesn’t do anything like that, for when Moses died long ago, Michael and Satan argued as to whom would be able to own the body of Moses. Michael did not dare to insult Satan. What he said was: ‘God will be the one to rebuke you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Even moreover the highest angel Miguel, he didn’t dare to do that. Because when he and Satanas quarreled concerning who had the right to take Moses’ corpse, he didn’t speak-evil-of him, but rather he said, ‘The Lord God will be responsible to rebuke you (sing.).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But even the chief-leader of the angels who is Miguel, when he and Satanas were disputing about the body of Moises, he didn’t accuse-him-to-his-face with insulting words. Rather, what he said was, ‘I hope the Lord will rebuke you.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The chief angel Michael argued with the devil about taking charge of Moses’ body when he died. But Michael didn’t dare speak evil of the devil and say that he would be punished. Rather he only said, ‘God will rebuke you.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)