The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)
Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:
“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”
In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang) and in Toposa as “sacred rituals specialist” (source: Schröder 2026, p. 117).
For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”
For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:
Bau cha r (បូជាចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ) used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.
In Cherokee (Jewish) priests are translated as atsilv-anelohi (ᎠᏥᎸ-ᎠᏁᎶᎯ), “fire feeders.” Bender / Belt (2025, p. 26) explain: “[This] provides a point of semantic overlap between the Jewish priests mentioned in the book of John and traditional Cherokee leaders who would have maintained a ceremonial fire. No loanword or semantic extension would have highlighted this specific similarity. Just as the New Testament Christ seeks to supersede the priests of his day, the missionaries working to translate the New Testament hoped to replace traditional ceremonialism with Christian beliefs and practices. Describing the Jewish priests as ‘fire feeders’ may have been a way to emphasize the obsolescence of fire-based ceremonialism. Strikingly, this word has become the term for Catholics. The vast majority of Cherokee converts to Christianity are Protestants.”
In Cuban Sign Language (the Jewish) priest is translated referencing the ephod , the traditional apron that was worn by priests:
Alain Montano (in: The Bible Translator 2026, p. 173ff.) explains: “A second challenge arose in translating the term ‘priest’ in Luke 10:31, referring to the priest who was descending from the temple. The translation team consisted primarily of Evangelical translators and included one Catholic translator. The initial sign proposed for ‘priest’ referenced the clerical collar, a symbol commonly associated with clergy across multiple Christian denominations, such as Methodists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed, Catholics, Moravians, and others. While most team members considered this option acceptable, the Catholic translator raised concerns that this representation could generate confusion, as it encompassed denominational identities not directly related to the priest described in the biblical text.
“Given this observation, the team began searching for a sign that accurately represented the priest in question and his role, with the aim of ensuring that the translation and interpretation of the text was as faithful as possible. Signs referencing a bishop’s miter or the skullcap worn by cardinals and popes were discarded, as the priest in question did not belong to the Catholic tradition as the evangelical translators initially understood it.
“The possibility of representing the high priest—using the breastplate and the Urim and Thummim — was also rejected, since the character in the text was not the high priest, but a Levitical priest serving his assigned turn in the temple. The challenge was ultimately resolved through the creation of a new sign referencing the ephod, which more accurately represented this type of priest, who served as an assistant in the work of the temple of Israel.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:24:
Uma: “‘Ee Yesus, Nazaret person! What do you (sing.) want to do to us? Maybe you (sing.) want to destroy us? I know you (sing.), that you (sing.) are the holy Messenger from God.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “He shouted/screamed, he said, ‘Do not trouble us (excl.), Isa, man of Nasaret. You have nothing to do with us (excl.). Have you come here to destroy us (excl.)? I know as to who you are. You are the only-one who is holy who is sent from God.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when he saw Jesus, he shouted saying, ‘You, Jesus of Nazareth, what business do you have with us demons? Maybe the reason you came here is to destroy us. I know who you are. You are the Son of God!'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He immediately-shouted saying, ‘Terrors! (expression used of things to be feared) Jesus from-Nazaret, why are you (sing.) disturbing us (excl.)? Have you (sing.) come do-you-suppose to punish us (excl.)? I know you (sing.) of-course. You (sing.) are the holy Child of God.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He said, ‘What is your interfering with us (excl.), Jesus of Nazaret? What have you come here for? Will you now wipe us out? I really know who you are. You are the the far-from-ordinary one who was entrusted/sent by God!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Ari! he screamed. What will you do to us, Nazareth Jesus? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the spotless man, him of God.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “He cried as follows: ‘Ah, Jesus man of Nasaret, what are you going to do with all of us? Your coming is only to destroy us. We know who you really are. Yes, you are the Holy One whose origin is from God.'” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “saying, ‘What business do you have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.'”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:3:
Uma: “‘He calls in the wilderness [lit., empty field], he says: ‘The Lord is almost come! Prepare ahead-of-time for him his road. Make-flat ahead-of-time the road that he will pass on.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “There is a person calling in the lonely place (wilderness). This is what he says: ‘Soon the Lord/Leader will come/arrive. Make the way smooth where he will pass! Make the way straight which he will follow!'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He will be in the land where people do not live. And there he will be heard by people who come out to meet him; he will say, ‘The Lord will soon arrive. Clear out the way he will go; straighten out the path he will walk on, which is to say get ready for his coming.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He will shout/speak-in-a-loud-voice in the place that has no inhabitants saying, ‘Prepare where-the Lord who is coming -will-walk so that the path he-will-walk-on will be good.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘There is one calling out in the wilderness (lit. place where-one-could-starve), saying, ‘You (pl.) make a trail for the Lord/Chief. Make-direct and improve/make-properly this which he will walk on.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “This is the word of one calling where no house is: Arrange Owner God’s [Lord’s] path for him. Straighten his little paths.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “there is the voice of a man crying in the
barren field thus: ‘Open up a way where the Lord will go, make straight his paths,'” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “‘A voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make straight his paths!’’),”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:35:
Uma: “The next morning when it was still first-light, Yesus got up and went-out from the village to an uninhabited place, went to pray.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The next day still very early in the morning, Isa got up and went-out of the house. He left from the town going to a place where there weren’t any people and he spoke there to God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when it was early morning, Jesus got up and went out of the house and went alone to a place where there were no people in order to pray.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “At cockcrow, Jesus got-up and went to an isolated place in order to go pray there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When it was still pre-dawn (lit. claws of the day), Jesus got up. He went to a place with no people, and prayed there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then very at dawn having risen, Jesus went out, while it was still night. He went to where no house is. Being there he spoke to God.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “Next day when it had not yet dawned, still dark, Jesus arose, and went out to a desert place. There He prayed.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “Well, the following morning, so early that it was still dark, he got up, left the house, and went out to a desolate spot. He remained there to pray.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:14:
Uma: “Not long after that, Yohanes the Baptizer was arrested and imprisoned. At that time, Yesus went Galilea-land and spread the good news that is from God,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “After Yahiya had been imprisoned by the king, Isa went to the place/land Jalil. He proclaimed about the good news from God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when John had been arrested by King Herod, Jesus returned to the province of Galilee and preached there to the people the good news which comes from God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When Juan was already (lit. done) imprisoned, Jesus returned to Galilea to preach the good news from God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When Juan was now in prison, Jesus returned home to Galilea. He taught the Good News there which came from God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then back of John being shut in, Jesus went back to Galilee. Going, he told along the good word regarding Ruler God coming.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “After Jokanan had been put in jail, then Jesus came to the country Galilea to spread the good news, (which is) the Word of God.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “Well, after John was handed over, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,”
Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:38:
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: The one who believes in me will have like a spring in his heart. And much good water will come forth. Thus it is written in the Word of God.”
Ojitlán Chinantec: “When one believes in me, it is as you might say, unfailing springs of water come up in his heart, according to the writings.”
Aguaruna: “If you believe in me, in your heart, life will come bubbling out, like a stream coming out bubbles. God’s Word which has been written says it will be like that.”
Shipibo-Conibo: “. . . Out of you (pl.) shall flow like a mountain stream, water by which to live.”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “I will do like the Word of God which is written says, so that you who trust in me will love other people and you will help them to receive eternal life, like rivers cause the earth that is at the side of them to grow everything.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “Like is written in the Holy Book: whoever believes in me, from their hearts flows much living water.’ ["living water" in Uma means a spring, so this could mean "many springs" or "much spring water"]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because it is written in the holy-book about the person who believes in me, the holy-book says, ‘Figuratively there will be waters/rivers springing/welling up from inside his liver, water which makes alive.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because,’ said Jesus, ‘according to the written word of God, if there is anyone who believes in me, from his breath will flow water which is able to give life forever.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written that says, ‘Whoever believes in me, there will be in him that which gives life which will be like water that flows-out from a spring continually.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Because this is the meaning of the word/speech contained in that writing which is the word of God. Whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts-in/relies-on me, there will spring what gives true life, coming from inside him, like the springing of water.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “He who believes in me, there will be inside him as though water was springing up which gives the new life. Because thus says the Holy Book.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
