Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Luke 6:48)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:48:

  • Noongar: “He is like a man building his house; he dug a deep hole and he stood his house on rock. The river overflowed and struck that house but the water could not shake the house, because he built the house well. (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “A person built a house, he dug the ground he made deep and he planted a strong foundation-stone. Big rain and a flood came and struck that house, but it did not shake because its foundation-stone was strong.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He is like a person building a house. He makes a deep hole until he reaches a rock. Then he erects the posts of his house on the rock. When the house is finished the river floods and the house is reached by the strong flood but his house does not move, for the place-for-standing it/it’s foundation is good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “he is like a person who builds a strong house on top of a great stone. He dug the holes deeply in order to set the posts, and when that house was finished, a typhoon came and the water became deep, and that house was struck by strong-flowing water, but it did not fall because it was built strongly.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He is like a person who built his house on a rock. He properly chipped-out-the-rock-for the foundation, then he erected his house. The water in the river then increased and it struck-against that house, but (expression of reassurance) it was not shaken, because its construction was firm/strong.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He is like a person who built a house, putting its posts down really deep in ground which had rocks mixed in it. When bad weather came, when there was a big flood and his house was engulfed in it, nothing bad happened to it, for he had truly made it really sturdy.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Jude 1:1)

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

  • Uma: “This letter is from me, Yudas, the servant of Yesus Kristus and the relative of Yakobus, I send it going to [you] relatives who were called by God the Father to become his people. He loves you and he always cares for you until the coming again of Yesus Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This writing is from me, Judas, a servant of Isa Almasi and the sibling/brother of Yakub. I send this letter to you, the ones chosen by God. You are loved by our (incl.) Father God and you are cared for by Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am Jude, the brother of James and the servant of Jesus Christ. You whom our Father God has made believers, who are dear to him and who are strengthened about by our Lord Jesus Christ, you are the ones I am writing to.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I am Jude the younger-sibling of Santiago who wrote this. I am one who serves Jesu Cristo. Here is my letter to you whom God the Father has called/invited. You are the ones whom he very-much-loves and protects until the coming again of Jesu Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I who am Judas, servant of Jesu-Cristo and sibling of Santiago, am the writer of this. I am writing to you who have been separated out by God the Father so that he would make you his people and who are really valued by him, you who are always being cared for by Jesu-Cristo and inspired (lit.had it put in your mind) to submit to him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I am Jude, Jesus Christ’s worker, and I am James’ brother. I greet all those whom God has called. You are the people God loves and Jesus Christ now guards you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Romans 1:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 1:20:

  • Uma: “For even though we cannot see the appearance of God, from the beginning of the making of the world it has been knowable/evident to men what God is like. For from all that he made, we see the bigness of his life [i.e., glory] and we also see his power that has no end. So there is no one who can say: ‘I didn’t know!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Since (the time) the world was created by God, it is clear to the people that God has power that doesn’t leave even if they cannot/didn’t happen-to-see his power and it is also clear to them that he is the true God even though they cannot see him. The people can understand about God and about his power by the various-things he has created. That’s why they cannot give excuses/excuse themselves for/because-of their deeds.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For as for God, even though He cannot be seen, beginning from His creation of the world, He is apparent just the same by means of all the things that he created by means of His very great power which has no end, and by means of what is called His being God. That’s why nobody can say they do not know whether there is a God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because since-the-time when God created the world, it has been easy for people to understand concerning his godhood and his power which has no limit, even though he cannot be seen, because what he created can be seen. So they have absolutely no excuse for not knowing the truth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And now, no one sees God, but that which he made is what we see. From this it is apparent that God lives. When the world began to exist, then it was apparent that God lives and that he has his power forever. It isn’t possible then that people say that they do not know that God lives.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Even though we cannot see the power of God which shall never end, nor can we see what he is like, yet from the day the world was created it has been clearly seen who he is (or what he is like) because of all he has done. Therefore they cannot say they do not know.”
  • Hopi: “For people understand clearly the things about God that are unseen. He alone is God and continually has power. And the people understand who he is and that he has power through the things here that are made. Since the time that the world was made they understood these things and therefore they have no way of escape.”
  • Central Mazahua: “What God is and his power no one can see with their eyes. But they can know [in their thoughts] because it is seen in the things that God made since the world was made. Therefore when God will judge them they can’t say they didn’t know how he is.” (Source for this and two above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

For the Old Testament quote, see Psalm 69:22 and Psalm 69:23.

complete verse (Luke 7:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 7:31:

  • Noongar: “Jesus spoke again, ‘Now what can I say about people today? They are like what people?” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Yesus also said: ‘No kidding the people who live at this time! This is the parable that I compare them to:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then Isa said, ‘What shall I use as a parable for the people living now? Like what are they?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus spoke again, ‘You people today, I see that you are just like children playing,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus also said, ‘What perhaps will I use-as-an-illustration/comparison-for the people today? What are they like?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued what-he -was-saying, saying, ‘Well, to what shall I compare people today? What are they really like?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Revelation 1:8)

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

  • Uma: “The Lord God says, ‘I am the beginning and the end. I already was from the first, I am now, I will keep on being forever. My power surpasses everything.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “God said, the Most-Powerful Lord, ‘I am the beginning and the end of all things,’ says God, the one who does not change since the beginning of time until now and forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Our Lord God who is powerful, who existed before anything was created, He is still in existence today, and He will be in existence even in the future forever. He said, ‘I am the Alpha and Omega, which is to say, the origin and the ending of everything.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The Lord God who is all powerful who exists now, existed previously and will-exist forever, he said, ‘I am the one who is designated Alfa and Omega, meaning to say, I am the beginning-point and ending-point of everything.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “God says, ‘I am the one who is first before all and also I am the one who is at the very end. There has indeed been me from long ago, and until forever there will still be me. There really is no-one who can equal my supernatural-power.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Our Lord God who has all power has this word which he speaks to us: ‘It is I who was living when all things began to exist, and I continue to live now and I will be living at the end. Like the letter A begins and until the end is Z, so am I.’ he says. Because God lives now, and was living the past days and he will live through all the days to come.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Romans 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 2:20:

  • Uma: “We say/think that we are the ones who are smart to lead-by-the-hand people who don’t know God, we are the ones who can enlighten [lit., make clear] those who are still in the darkness and who do not yet know the true teaching. For it is with us Jews that there is the main knowledge and true teaching that is written in the Lord’s Law.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because God’s law is there with you, which is only the true teaching, you say that you know how to teach the foolish ones and the ones ignorant about God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You think mistakenly that you are the ones who are able to teach people who do not really know about God. And you also think mistakenly that you are the ones to teach people who have just begun to study what is right. The reason you think this way is because God entrusted the Law to you and very correct is the wisdom and very true is the doctrine which comes from it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You also know for-sure that you have the ability to advise and teach people who are like children, because they have not been taught and they don’t know what is correct. You say/think that, because you admittedly know God’s law which is the location of what is correct and true.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They say that they know well how to teach people who do not know anything. They say they know well how to educate people who do not know the word. Because there in the law they say that there is all the true word which they use to teach people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Luke 8:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:13:

  • Noongar: “Seeds falling on the stony ground resemble people: they hear the truth, and they happily accept the truth. But the truth does not go deep inside them. They hold the truth only briefly, but when the day of testing comes, they fall away.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘The seed that falls in the rocks stands for people who hear the Word of God and they receive it with glad heard. They do believe, but their faith is not strong, like a plant without roots. That is why when persecution comes, they retreat, they no longer believe.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And what was broadcasted on rocky ground is a figure for the people who hear God’s word and immediately believe and they are glad. But they are figuratively like seed that doesn’t take root. They believe for a short while, but when temptation/tempters comes they don’t believe any longer.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now that which was planted which fell on the thin soil on top of the rock, that’s like people who hear the Word of God, and they really like to listen to it and they believe it, but their faith is not drawn tight, and before long, when Satan tests their faith, they return to their former custom.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That also which fell on the rocky-area, those are the people who happily received the word of God upon their hearing it. But the word didn’t root in their minds, so when difficulty arrives they don’t continue to believe but rather turn-their-backs-on their faith.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those others which are like the rocky place which got scattered on are the people who, when they have heard the word of God, believe it at once happily. But they don’t store it well in their heads. That’s why they don’t keep-going/endure in their believing/obeying, like plants which are not well-rooted. When a test comes, they drop/give-up at once.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Revelation 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 2:20:

  • Uma: “But there is nonetheless something that I reprimand/am-surprised-at you for. Because that woman who is named Isebel, who says she is a prophet, you let her teach my followers. She teaches them to do wrong with young women and other people’s wives, and she teaches them to eat food that has been offered in worship to idols. Many of my slaves she has deceived with her teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But there is something that I find fault with in you: There is a woman there among you called Jesebel who pretends to be a prophet spreading God’s message. You simply/just let her/allow her to teach my servants but because of her teaching they are fooled/deceived already therefore they are influenced to commit fornication/adultery and to eat food that has been offered to idols.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But in spite of that, there is something you are doing that I do not like. Because as for that woman Jezebel who says that she is a prophet of God, you permit her to teach her bad practise to My servants. She says that it is not a transgression toward God to have sex relations with someone other than your spouse or to eat the sacrifice to false gods.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “”But there is nonetheless that which I dislike-about your way-of-life, because you have-been-permitting that woman Jezebel to be joined to you. She says that she is God’s spokesman, but because of what she is teaching, she is persuading those who are serving me to sleep-with those who are not their spouses and to eat food that has been offered to idols.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But this is what I hate/am-angry-at, why Jezebel is permitted by you, that woman who says she is sent by God, whereas she isn’t. Through her teaching she is really misleading the ones who serve me there. She is causing them to fall (fig.) by their doing what is disgusting with those who are not their spouses, and even daring/urging them to eat foods which are used in sacrificing to pretend gods.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But I have a word against you. Because you give the road to Jezebel in regard to the word she teaches. This woman says that God puts into her mind the word she speaks, but it is not true. Because I know that she deceives the people who believe in me. She says that it is permissible to fornicate and it is permissible to eat the meat offered to idols.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)