Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Hebrews 7:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 7:13:

  • Uma: “What/Who is referred to here is our Lord. For we know that our Lord was born from the descendants of Yehuda, he was not from the descendants of Lewi. There has never yet been one of the family of Yehuda who was appointed [lit., lifted] to be/become a priest, for in the law of priests, Musa never once mentioned the family of Yehuda.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Our (incl.) Lord Isa Almasi hep is the one-taking-the-place in priesting but he is not a descendant of Libi. It is known that he is a descendant of Yuda and there has been no priest from the descendants of Yuda. Musa didn’t mention anything about the descendants of Yuda when he spoke about the priests.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We know that these have already been replaced, because our Lord of whom this that God caused-to-be-written is speaking was not a descendant of Levi. We all know that Juda was the one who ancestored him, and there are absolutely no descendants of Juda who have served as priests in charge of what was offered to God. Neither is there anything that Moses said about a descendant of Juda who was a priest.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The proof is, our Lord Jesus who is the one to whom I am referring here, he was not of the clan of the descendants of Levi from-which- the priests -were-chosen in the past. We all know that as for Jesus, (he was) of the clan of the descendants of Juda. As for this clan, it was not mentioned by Moises when he explained about whom it was possible to make a priest. There really is not even one who was priest from the clan of the descendants of Juda. The priesthood of Jesus, (it is) suitable/fitting for our needs, just like the priesthood of Melquisedec” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This new priest which is spoken of in the Holy Book is Jesus Christ. But this Jesus is not of the root of Levi, rather he is of the root of Judah. And of this root of Judah, there never has been one to arise to be a priest.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 12:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 12:15:

  • Uma: “They said to her: ‘You (sing.)’re crazy!’ But she repeatedly said that it was indeed he. That is why they said to her: ‘That’s not Petrus. That’s his angel.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Perhaps you are out-of-your-mind,’ they said to Roda. But she kept repeating that it was really true Petros was there. Then they said, ‘That is his angel.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And her companions said to her, ‘You’re crazy.’ But Rhoda insisted saying, ‘No, it really is Peter.’ And they said, ‘It’s not Peter, but rather it is the angel of God that watches him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Why, you (sing.) are foolish indeed,’ they said. When she kept-on-insisting that it was true, they said, ‘It’s probably his angel.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But they didn’t believe. In fact they said to that woman/girl that she was crazy. But she said emphatically, ‘It really is he!’ They were saying, ‘Maybe it’s just his angel.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Mezquital Otomi: “…. it’s not Peter, it’s God’s angel, Peter’s guardian.'”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “They told her: ‘You are crazy, girl’ But the girl said it was really him. Then they said: ‘It is not him. Probably it is the angel that looks after him.'” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Mark 10:40)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 10:40:

  • Uma: “But as for who will sit on my right and my left, it’s mot I who determines that. It’s God who determines who gets that portion.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But as for seating (anyone) on my right or on my left,’ said Isa, ‘it is not I who decides/rules that. But those seats belong to those whom God has prepared them for.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “however, I am not the one to choose who will be caused to sit on my right side and on my left side. For the only ones who will be able to sit there are those for whom my Father God has prepared it.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the one who will sit at my right and left, I have no authority to say, because God has already chosen the ones to sit there.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But it doesn’t originate with me to determine who will sit at my right and left. As for those seats referred to, there are those they are being reserved for.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Hebrews 9:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 9:4:

  • Uma: “In this room there was the incense burning-place table made of gold, and there was also the box called the Promise Box. That box was covered all over with gold, on the outside and the inside. In it, there was the gold bowl containing food called manna, and there was also the Harun’s that budded/had-shoots long ago, and the two flat rocks that had the ten commands from God written on them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “In this innermost room there was a gold table for burning incense. And there was also a chest covered with gold inside and outside. That chest was called Covenant Chest. There inside that chest there was a gold pot (garul) containing food called ‘manna’. There in that chest was also kept the walking stick of Harun which had sprouted and there were also kept the two stone slabs where God’s commandments were written that he had given to Musa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And in the inside of it they placed the golden altar where incense was burned. And there they placed the chest that was covered with gold. This chest was a sign of the promise of God. Inside of this chest could be seen the golden jar where the manna food was placed. And there also inside the chest could be seen the walking stick of Aaron that sprouted and the two flat stones where God wrote the Law.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What was there was the gilded altar (loan altar) on which they burned incense (loan insinso) and the Chest of the Agreement that was overlaid with gold. What was placed-inside there was the golden jar in which was placed manna (Eng. loan), Aaron’s walking-stick which leafed and the two flat stones on which were carved the commands of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There in that room was the burning-place for incense and the Chest of the Initiated-agreement, both of which were covered-around with gold. One of the things contained in that Chest was the container of manna. The container was made of gold. Also contained in that Chest of the Initiated-aggrement was the walking-stick of Aaron which sprouted-new-growth, and those two flat-shaped rocks on which were written the laws of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “In there is an altar of gold where incense is burned. And there is a box which is all gold on the outside. It is the box which contains the old agreement which was before. There inside the box is a jar of gold in which is the bread called manna. And in the box is also the staff of Aaron, the one which sprouted. And in the box are the tablets of stone on which are written God’s law, that old agreement which was before.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 13:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 13:22:

  • Uma: “But in the end, the Lord God removed him from his seat, and raised Daud to be[come] the king of Israel. This is what God said speaking-about Daud: ‘Daud the child of Isai, is a person who gladdens my heart and does my will.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When this Saul was removed by God from his position-as-king, the one he substituted as their king was Da’ud. This is God’s praise of Da’ud, God said, ‘Da’ud, the son of Jesse, is the man who pleases my liver. He will do all that I desire.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then God removed Saul from his kinging, and David then is the one he caused to rule them. And God said, ‘As for this David, the son of Jesse, I have seen that he is very faithful to what I cause him to do. I am very pleased with his customs.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then God removed him and exchanged David to be-king over them. God said, ‘The child of Jesse who is David, I love him greatly, because he fulfills all my purposes/intentions for him to do.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When God removed the kingship of Saul, he replaced him with David, he being the next to reign over them. And he even testified saying, ‘I have observed that as for this David who is the son of Jesse, his ways/nature really please me for they are really in harmony with my ways. I am sure that he will obey all my will.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Isaiah 44:28.

complete verse (Mark 11:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 11:20:

  • Uma: “The next day still very early in the morning, they again went to Yerusalem. On the road, they saw the ara tree that Yesus had cursed yesterday, it was dead, dry right down to the roots.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When it was morning of the next day, when they went back to Awrusalam, they passed by the igira tree. They saw the tree already withered including the roots.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When morning came, they returned to the city and on their way they saw the fig tree which was thoroughly withered, even its roots.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The next-morning, they passed-by the fig tree, and sure-enough it was already dried-up, including its roots.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Next morning, when they passed by, that igos was dead.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Hebrews 10:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 10:8:

  • Uma: “First Kristus says like this: God does not request worship-gifts and offerings and he does not like worship-gifts that are burned or livestock that is slaughtered to pay-for sin–yet all those worship-gifts are offered following the Law of the Lord that was written by Musa.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This is what he first said, he said, ‘You do not want and you are not pleased with sacrifices and gifts of the people or with whole animals burnt and sacrifices to take away sin.’ He said this even though those things/doings were commanded in the law.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He first said that God does not want the offerings and sacrifices which were burned, and the blood of animals which are meant to take away sin. And He said this even though this is commanded in the Law.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Let’s think-about the meaning of what Cristo said that I have-just-written. The first-thing he said is, God doesn’t desire the various-kinds of offerings that have been offered to him. That’s not what makes-him-happy. He said that, even though all these offerings, they are according to what the law commanded.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, there is a point to these words of his. Firstly, he said that God is not pleased with what they are giving and the animals that (they) are burning, which are-a-means-of-asking for forgiveness for sin, even though that is what is contained in the laws.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The first things Christ said to God was that he said he knows that God does not look well upon the animals which people kill to make sacrifices for clearing people’s sins. Neither the animals people kill to burn the flesh upon the altar does God look well upon. Even though it is written in the law concerning all this that the people do, yet God doesn’t look well upon it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Chichewa: “Therefore he first said, ‘Sacrifices or offerings, whole burnt sacrifices, or sacrifices offered for sins, you did not desire and you were not pleased with them.’ These things are those the Law[s] said that they must be offered.” (Interconfessional translation, publ. 1999) (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 100)

complete verse (Acts 14:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 14:2:

  • Uma: “But the Yahudi people who did not want to believe incited the people who were not Yahudi people, so that they hated the believers in the Lord Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the Yahudi who did not trust, they stirred up the non-Yahudi so that they opposed the ones trusting in Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But those Jews who did not believe, they made those people who aren’t Jews angry with the believers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the Jews who refused to believe, they incited-to-wrongdoing the Gentiles so that their thoughts toward the believers became-bad.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But well, those Jews who didn’t want to believe, they incited some of those who weren’t Jews to hate/get-angry-with those who had believed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)