Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Luke 4:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 4:26:

  • Noongar: “But God did not send Elijah to one person of Israel, but only a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But the Lord God did not command Elia to help even one of those widows. The one he commanded him to go to was in the town of Sarfat, to help a widow who was a Sidon person, not an Israel person.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “but God did not send Prophet Eliyas to them but he was told to go to a widow who was not of the tribe of Isra’il there in Sarepta, in the place Sidon.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, because they did not believe in God, there wasn’t even one of them that God sent Elijah to, to help, but rather, surprisingly, God sent him to the town of Zarephath, in the province of Sidon, so that he might help a widow-woman who was not a Jew.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “but God emphatically didn’t send Elias to help even one of them, but rather he sent him to help a widow from-Zarefat in the region of Sidon.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “However it wasn’t to any of them that Elias was sent, but on the contrary to a widow woman who was not their fellow-countryman for she was a taga Sarepta which is in the district of Sidon.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:20:

  • Uma: “But you, relatives, you have received the Holy Spirit who is from Kristus. That’s why you all know the true teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But you are not like they. Almasi has already sent to you the Holy Spirit therefore all of you know the true teaching.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you, by contrast, Christ has caused you to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and because of that, you understand all of the true doctrine.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you, the Ispirito Santo (Holy Spirit) whom Cristo gave is in you, so you all know the true teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But as for you, you have now been shown-grace/mercy by God that you are being indwelled now by the Espiritu Santo. Therefore you can now comprehend the truth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But concerning you, now Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to you. This one caused you to know what is true and what isn’t true.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “But Jesus Christ the clean-hearted person, has given you the Spirit of God like he has done with us (excl.). Therefore we (incl.) know everything.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Jesus Christ, is God’s Chosen-One, He gave us God’s Good Spirit. So all of us know what is true.”
  • Tzotzil: “You because you have been given also the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ therefore all of you know also the word that is true.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “As for you, however, the straight-one has put His own Spirit in you. Therefore you learned all things.”
  • Yanesha’: “However, you, already he fills you, the Deity One. All of you, already completely you know it. You know what is true.”
  • Aguaruna: “But you are those chosen by Christ, the blameless one, you being so, He giving you God’s Spirit, you know the truth, that.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Acts 26:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 26:22:

  • Uma: “But even so, God has protected me from the first until this day. That’s why I stand here saying my witness to all people, whether nobles or [ordinary] people. What I am saying here, it is nothing different, it is just the same as what was foretold from the start by the prophet Musa and the other prophets of old,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But God helped me until now,’ Paul said, ‘that’s why I am standing here telling all the people, to the prominent ones and to those of low social standing equally. I do not tell anything beyond what the prophets of old have spoken and what Musa said about what would happen in the future.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But until now God has helped me. Therefore I am here before you, and I teach all of this to everyone whether his humanity is big or whether his humanity is small. And what I teach is still that which was prophesied long ago by Moses and those who were inspired by God,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But God was-helping me, so I persevered in preaching to all people, whether low-(status) or high, until now. And I have been saying nothing other than the very-thing Moses and the other prophets long ago also said would be fulfilled in the future.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But it’s true, I am not left alone by God. He really is helping me right up to now, that’s why I am now standing here, still alive. And I testify to all people, low-class or high, that I am teaching nothing other than this only, the things which would happen which were told by Moises and the prophets.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Luke 5:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 5:14:

  • Noongar: “Jesus said to him, ‘Don’t tell people, but you go to the priest and let him see you. This witnesses to people that you are healed. Then you go and make an offering, the way the Law of Moses says.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “After that, Yesus forbade him, he said: ‘Do not tell what happened here to anyone. Go first, show your (sing.) self/body to the priest, so that he sees that you (sing.) are healed, and carry your (sing.) offering according to the commands that were written by Musa, so that it is clear to all people that you (sing.) are really healed.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And Isa really sternly-instructed him, he said, ‘Don’t tell anybody. But go and show your body to the priest and sacrifice as Musa has commanded, to make it a sign for the people that you are really healed now.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus commanded him, saying, ‘Don’t you yet for awhile tell anybody, but rather you go to the priest that God has ordained, so that he might see that you are healed; and you give him the sacrifice so that you might fulfill that commanded long ago by Moses, so that everybody might know that it’s really true that you are healed.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Jesus ordered him, ‘Don’t be relating this to even one person but rather go show-yourself (sing.) to the priest so he will see that your (sing.) sickness has been removed. Then give to him what Moses commanded you (pl.) to offer to God so the many-people will thereby-know that you (sing.) have truly become-good/clean.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Now,’ said Jesus, ‘don’t tell anyone yet, but on the contrary go at once to the priest to have him examine you. And then give the thank-offering in harmony with what was commanded by Moises, which is like a testimony to the people that you are now well.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:23:

  • Uma: “This is his command(s): we believe in Yesus Kristus his Child, and we love one another, according to what he has commanded us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This he commanded to us (incl.), that we (dual) should trust in his Son, Isa Almasi, and we (incl.) should also love each other as Almasi commanded us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What He commands us (incl.) is: it’s necessary that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and that each one of us loves our companions just as Jesus also commanded long ago.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And this is what he commanded us: we must believe in his Child who is Jesu Cristo and love-one-another, because this just the same is what Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is what he has commanded, that we will believe-in/obey and trust-in/rely-on his Son Jesu-Cristo, and that we value one another like this Jesu-Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This word which God commands is that we believe Jesus Christ his Son and we do what he commands, in that each one of us loves all our fellow believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And this is what he commands us to do: We should trust in his son Jesus Christ and love our fellows each of us the other like he commands us to do.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And here is his command that we believe God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and we love one another, as he told us.”
  • Tzotzil: “Thus is God’s command that we believe the word of his Son, that is Jesus Christ. Thus is his command also that we love one anther.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “This is what God ordered us, that we should lean our hearts on His Son Jesus Christ, and also that we should love one another. That is what He ordered us.”
  • Yanesha’: “These are the words which he told (commanded) us, that we believe on him his Son who is Jesus Christ. He also told us that we have the characteristic of loving one another, thus he told us.”
  • Aguaruna: “That word to be obeyed it is this, ‘Believe in my Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another.’ That is what he wants.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Acts 27:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 27:23:

  • Uma: “Because last night, God whom I worship, God who is my Lord, sent his angel to meet me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because last night,’ Paul said, ‘there appeared to me an angel from the God whom I worship and I belong to him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “A while ago during the night, the God which I worship, his messenger appeared to me, and he said,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because last night, the God that I worship who is my owner, he sent an angel who went and stood where-I-was” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I have come to know this for, last night, an angel came here to me. He was sent by God, he who rules over me and whom I always am serving.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “As you know, I am God’s son and I serve him. Last night an angel of God appeared to me.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “Last night there appeared to me an angel whom God sent. This God is the one who commands me and the one for whom I work.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Luke 6:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:7:

  • Noongar: “The Law Men and the Pharisees, they wanted to find a way to accuse Jesus of wrong doing so they looked for a way. So they stood watching him, to see if Jesus would heal this man on the Sabbath Day.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Several Parisi people and teachers of religion who were there kept their eye on Yesus, perhaps he would heal him on the Sabat Day. Their intention, to find fault so that they could accuse him of working on the Sabat Day.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There were also teachers of the religious law and Pariseo there. They were looking for a reason so that they could accuse Isa therefore they watched him closely if he would heal on the day of-no-work.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there were there some Pharisee people and teachers of the Law. They were watching Jesus because they wanted to see if he would cure that man, there on that day, because it was the day of rest. The reason they carefully watched Jesus was so that they might find a way to accuse him, that he had transgressed the day of rest.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There were also some of the teachers of the law and Pharisees who were carefully-watching Jesus (to see) if he healed that man on the day for-resting, because they were looking-for something-to-accuse-him-of so they would have a basis-for-pressing-charges.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, as for the Pariseo and explainers of law, they were looking for what they could find fault with which they could hold against Jesus (implies intention of bringing legal charge at some level). Therefore they were watching very closely, whether he would heal that person on that Day of Rest.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (1 John 5:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:10:

  • Uma: “People who believe in God’s Child, they know in their hearts that God’s testimony is true. Whoever doesn’t believe God, they are actually calling-a-liar God, for they haven’t believed God’s testimony that talks about his Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever trusts in the Son of God, he knows in his liver that Isa is really God’s Son. But the one who doesn’t believe God, it is as if he says that God is lying because he does not believe the witness of God about his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, he has become convinced by the witness of God. Anyone who will not believe in the witness of God, he thinks of God as a liar, for he has not believed the witness of God about his Son Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever then believes in the Child of God, what God confirmed concerning him has been stored-away in his mind, but as for the one who doesn’t believe what God said, he turns-God -into a liar, because of course he doesn’t believe what he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts the Son of God, he is sure in his mind/inner-being that this testimony of God is really true. But as for the one who doesn’t believe this testimony of God, he is doing none other than saying God is lying, because he isn’t believing what he is testifying concerning his Son.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who believes the Son of God already knows in his own heart that what he believes is true. He who does not believe what God says, this person calls God a liar because he does not believe the word God has said about who his Son is.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we trust in God’s son, God speaks about his son in our head-hearts. If we do not believe God’s words, we treat God like a liar, because we do not believe his words which he speaks about his son.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who believes God’s Son, has been given understanding, and knows, himself, in his heart what is true. But he who doesn’t believe God, he looks on God as a liar, because he didn’t believe what God said about his Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we believe the word of the Son of God, thus we know that it is true what God has told us about his Son. If we do not believe the word of God’s Son, we think wrongly that God lies because we do not believe what God has told us about his Son.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who rests-the-whole-weight of his heart on God’s Son has God’s telling in his own heart. The one who doesn’t say, ‘God is telling the truth’ makes God as-if-He-were-a-liar. For he doesn’t keep (believe) God’s telling, For he doesn’t say, ‘It’s true’ about what God says about His Son.”
  • Yanesha’: “If any one believes in our Father’s Son, he has thus he knows by himself. The one who does not believe in our Father does toward him as if he were a deceiver, because he does not believe our Father, his causing-to-know with reference to his Son.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who says ‘Jesus is truly God’s son,’ that one thinks the truth concerning what God tells, but he who does not believe this is like that one who says ‘God is a liar,’ because he does not believe what God told about his Son.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “He who believes God’s Son, he knows that it is true that which God says. And he who doesn’t believe God, he says that God lies, because he doesn’t believe what God says so we can know his Son.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)