Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 3:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 3:7:

  • Uma: “There were also many leaders of the Yahudi religion who are called Parisi and Saduki people who came to be baptized by Yohanes. When he saw them come, he said to them: ‘He, you whose behavior is bent! Why are you coming requesting-to-be-baptized? Do you think you can evade the anger of God that is about to strike you!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There were also Pariseo and Sadduseo who went to him, they were the religious leaders. When he saw many Pariseo and Sadduseo coming to request being bathed by him, he said, ‘You there, your customs are like the customs of a deceiving snake. You perhaps think-mistakenly that if you have been bathed you will not be hit by God’s wrath which will soon come.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now John saw many Pharisee people and Sadducee people coming to him to be baptized. And he said to them, ‘You act like snakes in that you are liars. Why are you coming here? You probably suppose that you will be able to escape the punishment of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But upon his seeing the many Fariseo (Pharisees) and Sadduceo (Saducees) who were coming to be baptized koma, he said to them, ‘Oh, you who are like crafty snakes are too much! Who perhaps told you that you will escape God’s punishing of you if you are baptized?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But well, Juan noticed that there were many Pariseo and Saduceo coming to him to be baptized also. He said to them, ‘Why are you here who are habitually-deceiving like the nature/way of a snake? Who said you could run away from the punishment which is coming?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “John saw that very many Jews were there who had come to be baptized. There were among them Pharisees, there were Sadducees. He told them: ‘You act like snakes who are fleeing from a fire. How is it that you know that the terrible punishment which is to be is coming?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Corinthians 14:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 14:2:

  • Uma: “For a person who speaks with languages from the Holy Spirit, he isn’t speaking to his fellow humans. He is speaking only to God. For his companion doesn’t know what he is saying, he is speaking from the leading of the Holy Spirit, talking about things that mankind doesn’t know.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If a person speaks in a language that is not understood by the people, the one he speaks to is God and not his companions, because they don’t understand his speaking. He is caused to speak by the Spirit of God but his words are like hidden because nobody can understand them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if there is someone who can talk in a language that he does not know God is the one he is speaking to, and he’s not speaking to his companions because they don’t understand what he says. That which he is saying is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but it is hidden because no one can understand it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because the one who speaks languages which he has not learned, it is only God with whom he is conversing, not people, because they don’t understand, because his spirit is causing-him -to-speak what other people don’t know.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for this (ability), it is more helpful than that ability to speak different languages that (one) hasn’t studied. For the one who can speak these languages he hasn’t studied, God is the one he is speaking to, not his fellowman. Therefore they won’t understand because, under the influence of the Espiritu Santo, he is speaking that which can’t be understood by people.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because if there are people who speak those word which are not understood, then it is not to people they speak because no one hears what they speak. Just God alone knows the words spoken. The Holy Spirit strengthens them, putting into their minds what to speak, but no one can understand the meaning of the words.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Luke 23:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 23:21:

  • Noongar: “But they shouted angrily, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But they just continued-more to make-noise, they said: ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But they shouted saying, ‘Nail him onto the post. Nail him onto the post.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “however, they began all the more to shout, saying, ‘Nail him to the cross! Nail him to the cross!'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “but they repeatedly-shouted, ‘Nail him! Nail him to the cross!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But the crowd were now shouting out, saying, ‘Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 4:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 4:22:

  • Uma: “They as well left behind their boat and their father, they also followed Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They also immediately followed. They left their father and their boat behind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and they also quickly left the boat and their father and went with Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and they immediately-left their boat and their father and they also went-with Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Without-anything-further, those two also followed (right behind). As for their father, he was there still in the boat, left.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “At once they left the boat in which their father was and went with Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Corinthians 14:34)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 14:34:

  • Uma: “So, your women/wives must be quiet in the services. They are not permitted to be talking like that, they must submit as is written in the Law of the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “the women shall be quiet while they are in the gathering. They cannot take part in the arguments with the men because the holy-book says that it is not possible for a woman to cause-herself-to-be-higher than a man.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There’s also a command I have for you which is what the believers in every town do; it is this: don’t you permit that a woman teach when you gather together to worship. They should just listen, because the Law of the Jews teaches that women should not be in charge.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because what God wants/likes is not what-is-disorderly but rather what is orderly/harmonious. Women ought to be quiet when you meet-as-a-congregation as they also do in the other congregations of God’s people. It is not permitted that they speak but rather they must submit-themselves to (lit. cause-themselves-to-be-ruled-by) the men just like it is written in God’s law.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, just as is being followed/obeyed by all the people of God, it’s necessary that the women don’t speak (lit. make a noise) for they are not allowed to speak when the-whole-group is gathered together to worship. For like what was said in the laws, they are under the jurisdiction of the man.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “That is, the women are not allowed to speak where the believers are gathered. Because the women do not have permission to explain the word to the people. Rather the men must be the leaders just like the law of God says.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Burmese (translation by A. Judson, first publ. in 1823, still the most widely-used translation in Myanmar): “The wife of yours should stay silent in the . They have no permission to preach. As the law commanded they must consent to the ruling of man.” (Source: Hluan 2022, p. 82ff. — see there also for a detailed analysis of Judson’s translation.)
  • English translation by Helen Barrett Montgomery (1924) (verses 34-36): “‘In your congregation’ [you write], ‘as in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silence in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. On the contrary let them be subordinate, as also says the law. And if they want to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.’ What, was it from you that the word of God went forth, or to you only did it come?”

For further consideration of this and the surrounding verses, see Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1995, p. 101ff.

complete verse (Luke 23:53)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 23:53:

  • Noongar: “Then he took down Jesus’ body, wrapped it in cloth (lit.: “cangaroo skin”), and put it inside a tomb which had been dug from solid rock and not yet used.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “He lowered the body of Yesus from the cross, he wrapped it with white cloth, and he laid it in a grave that was made-a-hole in the side of a hill. That grave was still new, it had never yet been used as a burial place.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then he took him down and shrouded him. And then he laid him inside a cave ‘holed-out’ in a rock which had not yet been used for burial.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Joseph got the body of Jesus and he wrapped it up in a white blanket. And there was a burial cave dug out of a limestone cliff, and it had never had any dead person buried in it. And there Joseph placed the body of Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then he went and lowered it from the cross and wrapped-it-up with good cloth, then he placed-it-inside a cave that had been chipped-from rock which had not been used.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then when the body of Jesus had been removed from the cross, he wrapped it in first-class cloth. He took it to a burial-place which was a hollowed-out rock, where no-one had yet been buried.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 5:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:29:

  • Uma: “So if for example our (incl.) right eye causes [lit., carries] us (incl.) to sin, scoop it out and throw it away. It is far better that one of our (incl.) eyes is lost, than our (incl.) whole body be thrown into hell.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If your right eye influences you to sin, leave that sin of yours. Figuratively as if you dig out your eye and throw it away. It is better if you no longer have one of your eyes than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if it is your right eye that causes you to sin, dig it out and throw it away. It is better if you have no eye rather than your being thrown into the fire of hell with your whole body.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore if your (sing.) right eye is the cause-of-your (sing.) -sinning, extract it to throw it away. Because it’s-preferable if your (sing.) body has a part taken-from-it (root word: lack) than that your (sing.) body have no lack and you (sing.) be thrown into hell.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore if your (sing.) eye is the source of what causes you to sin, just pluck it out and throw it away. Because it’s better if there’s a part of your body subtracted, rather than still having a complete body which will be thrown into the fire that doesn’t die down, which is punishment by God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “So now, if you say that it is the fault of your eye, the right one, that you commit sin, then pluck out your eye and throw it away. It is better that you have lost an eye rather than you go to hell with all your body.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Martu Wangka: “Jesus said to them another talk like this, ‘If you see with your eye, and think about doing bad, if you have thought like that with the intention of doing bad, then you should dig out your eye and throw it away. If you think and do like that, You will sit well with one eye without doing bad so that you won’t be sent to the fire if you should do bad.'” (Source: Carl Gross)

complete verse (1 Corinthians 15:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:26:

  • Uma: “So, when he has causes to live again all his followers, and there is no longer any death, we can say that he has defeated his last enemy, that is death.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When all his enemies are defeated, mankind will no longer die.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That final enemy which Jesus will remove is the dying of mankind.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The last that will be defeated is the death which is the dying of people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Even this death, which is the last enemy, he really will defeat it at that time, for he will remove it from people and he will make all to live again.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The last of the enemies who will be conquered is the death there is, because then there will be no more dying.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)