Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Luke 10:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 10:20:

  • Noongar: “But you must not be happy because evil spirits obey you. You must only be happy because your names are written in Heaven.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But even so, do not be-glad-about the submission of demons to you. It is better that you be-glad-about your names being written in heaven.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Don’t let that be your happiness that the demons obey your command, but your happiness should be that your names are written by God in heaven.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But don’t you just rejoice over the fact that the demons obey you, but rather you rejoice because your names have been listed by God in Heaven.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But this power of yours to command the evil-spirits, that should not be the most-important-thing that makes-you -happy but rather because your names are written in heaven.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But don’t be happy that evil spirits surrender/admit-defeat to you, but on the contrary what you are to be happy about is that your names are written there in heaven.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Revelation 10:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 10:1:

  • Uma: “After that I saw a strong angel come down from heaven. Clouds covered/wrapped him, and his head was encircled by a rainbow. His face shone like the sun, his feet were like house-posts, shining like fire.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then I saw another strong angel come down from heaven wrapped in a bright-cloud and a rainbow encircled his head. His face shone like the sun and his legs were like burning posts.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then I saw another powerful angel coming down from heaven. He was wrapped in a cloud, and there was a rainbow around his head. His appearance was like the shining of the sun, and his feet were like posts of flame.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “After-that I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven. He was blanketed with clouds and wore-a rainbow -as-a-headband. His face, it dazzled like the sun and his feet/lower-legs, they were like a flaming fire.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “After that, I saw next a far-from-ordinary angel who was really strong. He was coming down from heaven. He was wrapped in a cloud and there was a rainbow in the direction of his head. His face was shining like the sun and his calves were like a standing fire.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It was an extremely powerful angel I saw then who was coming from heaven. He was in a cloud. There at his head there was a circle of rainbow. His face shone like the sun. His feet and legs were all of fire.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Romans 8:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 8:23:

  • Uma: “And it isn’t just the world that groans. We who are God’s children also groan in our hearts. We have received the Holy Spirit as a sign of God’s promise to us. But we still wait for the time God will lift us to become his children and free our bodies from all that is evil.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is not only some of God’s creation that suffers but including us (incl.) the ones to whom God gave his Spirit who is his beginning/first gift, we (incl.) also suffer while we (incl.) keep-on-waiting-for the day when God will make our (incl.) bodies new so that/and we (incl.) will no longer be sick and die. When that day arrives it will then be really clear that he has really made us (incl.) his children.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that’s not all, because as for us (incl.) also who have received the Holy Spirit which is the sign that there is still something which will be given to us by God in the future, drawn very tight is our expectancy of this, because we (incl.) really desire that that time might come when God will finish His making us His sons and He will carry out His making our bodies immortal.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But it is not only they who are having-a-hard-time but rather even we to whom the Holy Spirit has been given who is the first-thing that God has given us who believe. It is as we are also groaning in our minds in our waiting for the time when God will clearly reveal our status as his children and will transform these bodies of ours into new bodies that never-die.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now, not only what is in the world suffers, but also we want to have what we suffer pass by, that there will come the day when our bodies will become new. Then it will appear that we are God’s children. Even though we now walk with the Holy Spirit, yet we want to see the good which will be afterwards.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Mezquital Otomi: “And we suffer thirst and hunger, sickness and misfortune, and we sigh, but because God has given us the Holy Spirit as a sign of the joy that will come, therefore we wait for God to show we are his sons, with our bodies made new and glorious without weariness or pain.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Luke 11:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 11:10:

  • Noongar: “For all people who ask, that thing will be given; and he who seeks, he will find. Knock and the door will be opened for all people who knock.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Because whoever asks/requests will definitely be given. Whoever searches will definitely find. Whoever asks-to-be-opened the door, the door will definitely be opened for him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For all who ask will be given, the ones seeking will find and the ones asking to be let in, it will be opened for them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “because all who beg from God receive, and those who look, find; and those who call-at-the-door, God opens the door for them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “For even anyone who requests from God will be given, and even anyone who searches will find what he is searching for. Even anyone also who knocks, the door will be opened for him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because as many as request are given to. Those who search can find. And as many as plead to be allowed to enter really will be responded to favorably.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Revelation 12:3)

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

  • Uma: “And there was also visible in heaven another sign: a red snake, its name dragon [ule naga]. That dragon was very large. He/It had seven heads and ten horns. On each head was the hat of a king.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then there was another very amazing sign that appeared in the sky. I saw a red dragon who was very big. He had seven heads and ten horns. His seven heads had crowns.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then there was another shadowing that was shown to me. There was a very large red snake called dragon, which is Satan. He had seven heads and ten horns. There was a crown on each one of the seven heads.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There was also another sign, because a large red dragon appeared that had seven heads that were all crowned and ten horns.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then another sign also was shown to me in heaven. It was the biggest thing having a body like a crocodile, which was called dragon, whose body was red. Seven heads branched out of him and he had ten horns. There was a crown on each of his heads.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Again I looked in heaven and I saw another sign, a terrible animal, which was red, it had seven heads and ten horns. Each head wore a crown.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Romans 9:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 9:16:

  • Uma: “So, if God wants to show his love to one person, it is not the desire of man[kind] that decides that, nor is it the work of man[kind]. It is just God [emphatic] that decides.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “That’s why we (dual) know that it is not because of our (dual) will/wish or our perseverance in doing good that God pities/has mercy on us (dual), but by the will/wish of God he pities us (dual).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And we can understand from that that the blessings of God to people, they are not by means of what people desire or the good actions of people, but rather they come about only by means of the mercy of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So that’s how we know that God’s choosing a person is not based on what they want and what they do but on his mercy/grace.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore concerning the good which God gives, it is not found by the person because he thinks that he will earnestly seek it. Because God has already determined who he will pity.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Luke 11:42)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 11:42:

  • Noongar: “‘How terrible for you Pharisees! You give God his small share of your salt and spices and herbs, but you don’t do good to people and you don’t love God. First, you must do these things, and after, you can also do the other things.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘Disaster to you Parisi people! Even small plants like mint and ginger and other plants you give-as-worship-offering one tenth to God. But the big rules, like straight behavior to others and love to the Lord God, you do not pay-attention-to. Really, it is those big rules that you should follow, and also not forget to follow the little rules.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘You Pariseo are to be pitied. You give the tenth even including bawing (a spice) and saley (lemon grass) and all kinds of spice plants but you don’t think about doing straight/righteous deeds to your fellowmen and you don’t think about loving God. It is good if you give the tenth but you should not turn your back on doing the things I have said.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Pity you Pharisees because you give to God the tenth part, even spices like mint and garlic and all the vegetables, but as for righteous behavior and loving God in your breaths, you never think about it. It’s necessary for you to give the tenth part, but don’t you leave out these more important commandments.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Pitiful are you Pharisees, because you are thorough/careful to give God a tenth, even of what you harvest that flavors vegetable-dishes, but you have-been-ignoring what is more-important: your doing what is right to your companions and your loving God. It would be good if you had been careful/thorough with these more-important-things while meanwhile you continued to give the tenth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really very hard is what is in store for you (pl.) Pariseo. You obey well the law to give God a tenth part of all your plants, even flavorings (lit. what is mixed in food). But you are deliberately-forgetting the most-important that he commanded, which is straight/righteous actions and holding-dear for God. It’s really necessary that you do these most important things, and continue as well to obey those others which were said.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Revelation 13:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 13:17:

  • Uma: “They were not allowed to buy or sell if there was not that sign on their hand or their forehead. The sign of that animal was the name of the first animal or the number [Indonesian: angka] that is a figure-of-speech for his name.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Nobody could buy or sell anything if he had not been marked. That mark was the name of the first creature or a number standing for his name.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And anyone who would not let himself be marked with the mark which was the name of the first beast and the number of his name, they cannot buy and they cannot sell.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He did that so that absolutely no person would sell or buy if he were not marked with the name of the preceding fearsome animal or the number that was the sign of his name.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It was really not possible to buy or sell for those who didn’t have the mark/brand which was the name of that monster or the number which signifies it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “No one could buy and no one could sell if they did not have the mark of the name of the terrible animal or of how much the number was that accompanied his name.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)