Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Matthew 9:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 9:14:

  • Uma: “From there, several followers of Yohanes the Baptizer came/arrived to Yesus. They asked, they said: ‘Why do your (sing.) followers not fast? As for us, with the Parisi people, we usually fast following our customs.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the disciples of Yahiya went to Isa and said, ‘How is it, we and the Pariseo fast. Why do your disciples not fast?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then there arrived to Jesus some disciples of John Baptizer. They asked, ‘Your disciples, why is it they don’t observe our (incl.) custom of refraining from eating. We, (excl.) by contrast, and the Pharisees, we (excl.) are always abstaining from eating in order that we might perfect our worship of God.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then the disciples of Juan went to Jesus and they said to him, ‘As-for us (excl.) and the Pharisees, we (excl.) have days when we fast (lit. endure our (excl.) hunger). But your disciples however, don’t. Why?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The disciples of Juan who was the first to baptize came to Jesus. They said to Jesus, ‘As for us (excl.), we often/always fast. So do the Pariseo. Well why, excuse please, do your disciples not fast?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The learners of John went to where Jesus was standing. They said: ‘Why is it that your learners do not fast? After all we and the Pharisees fast very much,’ they said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 4:12:

  • Uma: “So, we (excl.) constantly face death. But we (excl.) don’t-mind / It doesn’t-bother us (excl.), for because of that work of ours(excl.), you get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then, we (excl.) endure persecution up to/including that we (excl.) almost die because of our (excl.) preaching so that this becomes your good (lit. comes home for your good), because finally you will live forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That’s why we are never free from danger of death, because we spread the Good News. However, never mind this because by means of this, it is possible for you to have eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore it is true that we (excl.) are facing death, but the result of it is that you gain life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But, even though death is always like chasing us, the outcome is that you can now find life without end.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “While the people search how to kill me, I, while I live, search for how to have you meet up with the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 3:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:30:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “It is necessary that it be known that he is the great one. But it is necessary that I be thought nothing of.”
  • Aguaruna: “He will be more surpassing. I will not be great, I will be small.”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “He must be honored by many people, but I will no longer be honored.”
  • Chol: “Christ must be the more important one. I must be made less important.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “It is necessary that they follow Jesus more and more and that they follow me less and less.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “He is the one whose life must be made high, and my life must be made low.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He has to become greater/more honored but I have to become lower/less,’ said Yahiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For example, if there is a man being married, the bride belongs to him. As for the wedding arranger, his breath is very good when he hears that bridegroom talking with the one he has married. It’s like that also because it pleases me very much if many follow Jesus,’ said John. ‘It is necessary that mine should be removed.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is necessary that he be-made-greater (lit. high) while-simultaneously I become-lower.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s necessary that he becomes praiseworthy/highly-praised, but as for me, I just become insignificant.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “That one, the people must know better that he surpasses, and I must be second more.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 10:8)

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

  • Uma: “Heal the sick people, make-live the dead people, heal the people who are sick with leprosy, expel demons that possess people. All the blessings that God has given you, he gave freely [lit., dry], you do not buy them. So, you also must give freely what you have.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Heal the sick, cause-to-live if someone has died, heal the lepers, drive out the demons. I have given you power/authority and you did not pay (for it), therefore help and it should not be payed for.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Cure the sick, raised those who die, cure the lepers and those afflicted with demons. That which you have received from God, he didn’t make you pay for it. Don’t you also make the people you help pay.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Heal the sick, make-alive the dead, make-good/clean the ones sick from a fearsome skin disease, and make-evil-spirits -leave. You have paid nothing for this authority I gave to you, so don’t be charging for your help either.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Heal the sick ones and even make alive those who are already dead. Heal the lepers and drive out the evil spirits from those they are possessing. Well since you have received this aid/mercy without payment, give your aid also without it having to be paid for.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Heal the people who are sick. Cause the dead to resurrect. Heal people whose bodies have rotted. Heal the people who walk with evil spirits. This power I have given to you did not cost you anything. Therefore do not charge the people whom you heal.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 6:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 6:5:

  • Uma: “We(excl.) are beaten, we (excl.) are imprisoned, people throng together to attack us (excl.). We(excl.) work hard, sometimes we (excl.) can’t sleep, sometimes we (excl.) can’t eat.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (excl.) have experienced whipping and imprisonment. Sometimes people come and cause trouble/drive us (excl.) away. We often work hard. Sometimes we (excl.) cannot sleep and we (excl.) don’t eat.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We were beaten; we were inprisoned; we were harmed by those causing a riot; there was a time when we worked too hard and we lost sleep and we were hungry also.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “These are some of the hardships that we (excl.) have experienced. How many times we (excl.) have been whipped and imprisoned and rioted-on! We (excl.) have worked until we (excl.) were exhausted, and we (excl.) have also endured hunger and fatigue-from-loss-of-sleep.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “in what we (excl.) have experienced which is having been whipped, imprisoned, and set-upon by crowds of people whose anger was unabating, and in our (excl.) exceedingly difficult work which includes lack-of-sleep and hunger.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “There are times then the people beat me. There are times when I am jailed. There are times when people have mobbed me. There are times when I work without letup. There are times I don’t have time to sleep. There are times when I hunger.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “I am beaten, languish in prison, work myself to exhaustion, find no sleep, get nothing to eat.”

complete verse (John 4:26)

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

  • Uma: “Yesus said: ‘I am the one, who is speaking to you (sing.) now.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa said, ‘I am hep he, the one talking with you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, ‘I who am speaking to you, I am the one titled Christ.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘And I am indeed that-one, who is conversing-with you (sing.),’ Jesus said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘That one you are talking about, it is I who am speaking with you now,’ said Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said, ‘That Christ you speak about is I.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 10:40)

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

  • Uma: “‘Whoever receives you, it is the same as receiving Me. Whoever receives me, it is the same as receiving God, because He is the one who sent me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘If a person treats you according-to-custom, I am being treated-according-to-custom. And if someone treats me according-to-custom, he also treats God according-to-custom, the one who sent me to the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The person who receives you receives also me. And the one who receives me receives also God who sent me.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Whoever receives you, I am the one he received, and the one who receives me, he also received the one who sent me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As the last part of this which Jesus was teaching, he said, ‘Really the one who receives and welcomes/treats you well, he is also receiving me. And the one who receives me, he is also receiving God who sent me to come here.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The one who will pay respect to you is the person who has done as though he paid respect to me. He who pays respect to me has done as though he paid respect to the one who sent me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 8:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 8:3:

  • Uma: “I have seen the bigness of their hearts in giving [i.e., they are proud to do it]. They give according to their ability, or even more than their ability. Nobody forced them, it was out of the whiteness of their own hearts [i.e., out of grace, their own initiative].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I can witness that they gave up to their capacity and even above their capacity. It was just their own wish/desire that they gave.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I can testify that they did as much as they could do, and even more than they could do, in giving and it came from the whiteness of their liver (from the goodness of their heart).” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I can confirm that what they gave, it was not merely according to what they were able to give but rather more than they were able. And they were the ones who decided (lit. were the owners of the thought) to give-it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I am really testifying here that they did not just give what they were able to, but rather they exceeded it. And it’s not that they were forced, this was really their own desire.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I give a true testimony that the help they give is given with all their hearts. Concerning what they decided to give, even more above that is what they gave.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)