Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 27:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 27:4:

  • Uma: “and he said: ‘I have sinned! I sold a person who wasn’t wrong/guilty, with the result that he has been condemned to death!’ They answered him: ‘What’s that to us! [lit., What do we say!] The guilt/wrong is yours(s)!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He said to them, ‘I have sinned because I have betrayed a man who has no sin and-what’s-more he will soon be killed.’ They answered him, they said, ‘We don’t have anything to do with that anymore. It is your problem now.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘because the man you said that his actions were worthy of having him killed, he has no sin, and I am the one who turned him over to you.’ And they answered, ‘We have no concern with that. That’s your trouble.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and he said, ‘I have sinned, because I betrayed a person who has no sin and here he has been condemned to die.’ ‘It makes no difference (lit. it has no evil) to us (excl.),’ they said in reply. ‘You (sing.) are the one responsible for that.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He said, ‘I really have sinned. I have traded a person to death who has no sin.’ ‘Oh, what business is that of ours(excl.)? You are responsible,’ was their answer.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He said: ‘I have committed a sin to deliver to you this man who is innocent, so that he will be killed,’ he said. But the priests said to Judas: ‘What you say is of no importance to us. It’s your own business.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Thessalonians 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Thessalonians 4:12:

  • Uma: “If your deeds are like that, you will not be begging from others. And people who do not believe the Lord Yesus respect you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then if you follow this teaching you will be treated-according-to-custom/honored even by the people who do not trust in Isa Almasi and also you won’t be in need.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if you do this, those who are not yet believers will respect you and then you will no longer need to beg your livelihood from anybody.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because if that is your behavior, those who don’t believe will respect you and you don’t have to ask for your needs.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Of course if like this is what can be observed in you, won’t the outcome be that you are well-spoken-of by those who don’t yet know/acknowledge the Lord? And also it won’t be to others that you look up for whatever you have need of.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do this in order that you will not be in need of anything. Then the people who are not believers will respect you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 20:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 20:23:

  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “If you forgive the sins of someone, he is no longer guilty; and if you do not forgive the sin of a person, he is still guilty.”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “Of all those whose sins you have forgiven, God says that their sins are forgiven. And of all whose sins you have not forgiven, they are not forgiven.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The people who repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are blotted out. But the people who do not repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are not blotted out.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “The ones whose sins you forgive, God will forgive them. If you do not forgive their sins, God will not forgive them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If you forgive people their sins, God will also forgive their sins. If you do not forgive, God will also not forgive.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this when you forgive anyone who has sinned, God will also forgive him. And if you don’t forgive him, neither will God forgive him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “in order that whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are forgiven, God will already have-forgiven them. And whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are not forgiven, neither will God have-forgiven them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Through his putting it in your minds, whoever you tell that their sins are forgiven, it’s certain they truly are forgiven. But those you tell that they have not been forgiven, it’s certain they indeed haven’t been forgiven.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “To whom you forgive sin is that one whom God has forgiven. To whom you do not forgive their sin are those whom God has not forgiven.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 27:36)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 27:36:

  • Uma: “After that, they sat around guarding.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then they sat there keeping watch over him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they finished that, they sat down to see what would happen to him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and afterwards they sat-down there to guard.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those soldiers then sat down, keeping guard.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The soldiers then sat to look on at what occurred with Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Thessalonians 5:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Thessalonians 5:26:

  • Uma: “Give our greetings and our love to all the relatives in the Lord Yesus there.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Salam (customary greeting) all our (incl.) brothers there for me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Greet also with affection all of our brothers there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Greet also all our companions who believe there (near addressee) to show that you love-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Greet one another like one brotherhood who have believed in Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I greet all of you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 21:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 21:24:

  • Uma: “That disciple is the one who saw all that happened, and who says his testimony. He is the one who writes this letter. And we (incl.) know the truth of his words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The disciple of Isa whom this was said of, he is the one telling about these happenings and he is also the one who has written all this. And we (excl.) know that what he says is true.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am that disciple he was talking about. I am the one who testifies that all of this is true. I am the one who wrote all of this, and we (excl.) know that what I write is true.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I am the very disciple that Jesus was talking-about there. I confirm/verify that what is written here is true, because I am the very one who wrote-it, and we (excl.) know that everything that is here is true.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, this same disciple who was following after Jesus and Pedro, he is testifying to all of this concerning Jesus. He also is the one who wrote these things. We(excl.) really know that this which he is testifying is true.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This one is the learner who testifies to the truth of this word and wrote here on this paper what he said. And we know that what he says is true.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 28:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 28:2:

  • Uma: “Suddenly there was a big earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven shoving-aside the rock that closed the grave, and he sat on top of it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of God came down from heaven. He rolled the big stone that closed the door of the grave, and then sat on the stone.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And suddenly it earthquaked very hard, and there was a messenger of the Lord who came from heaven. This one came down and he removed the stone covering the cave, and he got on it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Right-then it earthquaked strongly, because there was an angel of the Lord who descended from heaven. He rolled-away the rock that closed the cave and sat-down-on-it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Suddenly/unexpectedly the ground quaked violently, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. He rolled that rock which had been used to block the grave and then sat on top of it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “While they were coming, suddenly there was an earthquake. For an angel of God had come from heaven to the tomb. He rolled away the stone which had closed the tomb and then sat on it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Thessalonians 3:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Thessalonians 3:1:

  • Uma: “So, continuing on, relatives, we request that you pray for us too. First, request the Lord that more and more people hear and receive the Lord’s Words, like what happened to you yesterday.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then, my brothers, please pray/ask God for us (excl.). Pray/ask that the good news about the Leader will really spread quickly and will be believed by the people as you believed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And now, brothers, pray for us so that very soon our preaching of the Word of the Lord may spread and be accepted just like this was accepted there among you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) have a little more to say to you brothers. Please pray for us (excl.) so that the word of the Lord will in-a-short-time be-newsed-from-one-to-another and that the people who hear will value and believe/obey (it) like you did.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Another thing I’ll add on, siblings in believing, is that we (excl.) are asking you that you be praying for us (excl.) so that this word of God can quickly/easily spread to all places, and also that they will happily receive it with honor/respect like you did.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “One thing more, my brothers, pray to God for us, in order that where we speak the word of the Lord, many people will believe just like it happened where you live.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)