Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 20:33)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:33:

  • Uma: “They answered him: ‘Lord, we want to see!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we want to see.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they answered, ‘Chief, what we need is that we might be able to see.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want to be-able-to-see.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those two replied, ‘Lord, hopefully you will grant that we will be able to see.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The blind men said: ‘Listen, Lord, we want that our eyes be healed.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Ephesians 5:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 5:1:

  • Uma: “So, since God made us his children and loves us, that is why we must follow [i.e., imitate] the character of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You are God’s children whom he loves very much, therefore you should persevere imitating his customs.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since you are favored children of God, you must imitate Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore because you are God’s children whom he loves, he is the one you ought to imitate/take-after” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now since now your likeness is that you are now children of God whom he holds dear, hopefully you will persevere that you indeed copy him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “God very much loves us in that now we are his children. Therefore now let us do like God does.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 12:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:3:

  • Uma: “While they were eating, Maria came carrying a half liter of fragrant oil. That oil was made from fragrant tree roots, it was very expensive. She poured that oil on Yesus’s feet and wiped them with her hair. How fragrant it was all through the house!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Mariyam took fragrant oil called narda, half a kilo it’s weight. This fragrant oil was very valuable and nothing was mixed in with it. Mariyam sprinkled/watered this fragrant oil on Isa’s feet and then she wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for Mary, she took a salmon of nard-type perfume which was very expensive, and she came to Jesus, and she applied it to the feet of Jesus, and she wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair. And the smell went through the whole house.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Maria took half a liter of pure nard (loan nardo) which was a most-expensive perfume. And she poured it on Jesus’ feet while wiping-them with her hair. And the house was filled with its fragrance.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What Maria did, she fetched first-class perfume which was very expensive, about two cupfuls. She poured it on the feet/legs of Jesus. After she’d poured it, she wiped them with her hair. The nice-smell of that perfume went all over the inside of the house.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Mary then bought about half a liter of good oil which smelled good and was very expensive. She anointed Jesus’ feet. Then she wiped them with her hair. There in the house the oil smell filled it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 21:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 21:31:

  • Uma: “From there, Yesus asked the Yahudi religion leaders, he said: ‘So, of those two children, who followed the commands of their father?’ The Yahudi leaders said: ‘The first.’ Yesus said: ‘Truly I say to you: sinners like tax collectors and women whose behavior is not appropriate, it is they whom God will receive to be his people/subjects in his Kingdom, not you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then Isa said, ‘Which of them did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The older one.’ So-then Isa said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the sinful people like the tax collectors and the bad women, God will receive them before you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then said Jesus, ‘Who of these two is the one who obeyed their father’s command?’ And they said to Jesus, ‘It was the older.’ And Jesus said again, ‘The bad people like the tax collectors and the women who make money through their reputation, they are ahead of you, because God will accept them that he might rule them, not you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “OK then,’ said Jesus, ‘which of these two fulfilled what their father wanted?’ ‘The older-brother of course,’ they said. ‘Right,’ said Jesus, ‘and this that I tell you is true that the characteristically-sinful people like the tax collectors and the prostitutes (lit. women whose womanhood can be bought), they will go-ahead of you to be added to God’s ruling.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well which of those two followed/obeyed the will of their father?’ ‘That older one,’ was their answer to Jesus. ‘What I will say to you is really true,’ said Jesus next, ‘that the money-grabbing official-receivers of payment and the women who make money with their bodies will go ahead of you in being able to become subjects of the kingdom of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “So now, which of the two sons did what his father ordered?’ The people answered and said: ‘It is the son who was first told that did what his father ordered.’ Again Jesus said to them: ‘Truly I tell you, that the tax collectors and the women who are prostitutes enter the hand of God before you do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Ephesians 5:33)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 5:33:

  • Uma: “But even so, there is still also [something of] use for us all: each man must love his wife like he loves his own body, and a woman also must respect/honor her husband.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But this is also about you the married couples. The man should love his wife as he loves himself, and the woman should honor her husband.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But that’s not all because it can also be that what He’s talking about is a married couple. It’s necessary that a woman respect her husband.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But there is nevertheless that which it means to say concerning you who are married-couples, and this is it. You (sing.) who are the man, you (sing.) must love your (sing.) spouse like the way-you (sing.) -love yourself (sing.). And you (sing.) also who are the woman, you (sing.) must respect your (sing.) spouse.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But even though it’s like that, we must not forget the shallow/surface-thing it’s alluding to which is, you men, you must value very much your respective wives. Treat her as your (sing.) own body. And you women also, you must have big respect for your husbands.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But also it means that each man must love his wife. Just like he loves his own body he must love his wife. And the woman must respect her husband.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 12:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:35:

  • Uma: “Yesus said to them: ‘Just a little while, and the light that shines for at this time will no longer be with you. Continue walking while it is still light, so that you are not reached by darkness. People who walk in darkness do not know where they are going.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered, he said, ‘The light that gives light to your thoughts/mind is still here with you but not much longer. While the light is still here with you continue your walk so that you will not be overtaken by darkness. For the one walking in darkness does not know where he is going.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said to them, ‘As for me, the light which illumines your understanding, I am soon going to leave you. While it is still light, do a good job of examining your way, the way you are going to pass on, because you might be overtaken by night. He who walks when his way is dark, he does not know where he is going.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Jesus said by-illustration, ‘The light will not be a long-time with you. Follow therefore the lighted path while the light is still with you lest you be overtaken-by-darkness. Because the one who walks in the dark, he doesn’t know where-he-is-going.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus said again to them, ‘For just a little time now I who am like a light which shines on you will be in your company. It’s necessary that you have yourselves taught while you can still be enlightened. Be like a person who walks while it is still light, not causing himself to be benighted. Because the one who walks in the dark can’t find the right way where it would be good for him to walk.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Then Jesus said, ‘Only for a short time will you see him who gives you understanding. Open your hearts in order that you understand the word I speak to you and by it walk (live).” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 22:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 22:17:

  • Uma: “That is why we ask that you (sing.) tell us, what is your (sing.) opinion, Teacher: according to the laws of our (incl.) religion, may we (incl.) pay taxes to Kaisar, or not?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore tell us what you say/think. Is it in agreement with our (incl.) law to pay tax to the Leader Sultan of the tribe of Roma or is it not?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore, tell us, do we break our (incl.) law if we pay the tax to our (incl.) king who is in Rome?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore please say what your (sing.) opinion is here. Do we (excl.) break our law if we (excl.) pay tax to the Emperador in Roma?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well what do you think? Is it in harmony with what Moises commanded to pay the payment which that Romano Impiradur who rules over us (incl.) is causing to be paid? Is it possible/acceptable or not?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “So now we want you to tell us, is it right to pay the money asked by the ruler or not?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Philippians 1:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 1:8:

  • Uma: “God witnesses to the truth of my words. I really miss/long-for you all, and my longing is like the love of Kristus Yesus himself.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “God is my witness that what I am saying is true that I am really longing for you, for my love for you is like also the love of Isa Almasi for you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “God can testify that I am very lonely for you, for the bigness of my breath for you is like the bigness of the breath of Jesus Christ for you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “God knows that great is my missing you, because I love you like Cristo Jesus’ manner-of-loving you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “God knows that my loneliness for you is really big. It’s true, my holding you dear is-almost-as-much-as the holding dear of you by Cristo Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “God knows that I very much love all of you, just like Jesus Christ loves you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)