Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 1:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:2:

  • Uma: “The one who gives life, he appeared in this world, and we (excl.) saw [emphatic] him. That’s why we (excl.) make-clear [i.e., explain] to you who he is, and testify that he is the one who gives good life forever. From the first he already was with God the Father, and he appeared to us (excl.).” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He was shown/revealed in the shape/form of a human/mankind. We (excl.) really saw him therefore we (excl.) witness telling you about the one who gives life which has no end. In the beginning he was there with his Father God, and he was shown/revealed to us (excl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When this source of life came down here to the earth, we (excl.) saw Him, and because of that we will tell you what we have seen. We will explain to you about the One titled Life Without End. He was the companion of our Father God before, and then He was revealed to us (excl.) here on the earth.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Yes indeed, he who is the source of life, he was made evident to us (excl.). We(excl.) really saw him. That’s why we (excl.) now testify about him, and we (excl.) are now teaching you concerning him who is alive without ending. From long ago, he was already there in the presence of God the Father, and now/today, he has been made evident to us (excl.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This one who gives the new life caused it to be known who he was. And we saw him and now we give our witness that we saw him. Now we tell you that this one who gives the new life has no beginning and has no ending to his life. He was living there where his Father is, but he came here so that we saw him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “He revealed himself to us and we saw him and we say that he lives eternally. And we proclaim to you (pl.) that he is with our (in) father God and how he revealed himself to us.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And he the Word who gives the new life showed himself to us in that he became a person. And we saw that he really became a person. So that’s what we are telling you now, that he is the one who was living, and lives now, and will never end. He was living with his Father and later came into the world and showed himself to us.”
  • Tzotzil: “He showed himself that he is the giver of life. We saw him. Therefore we tell you (pl.) what he is like the giver of everlasting life, who was there with our (inclusive) Father God. Afterwards he came and showed himself before us.”
  • Garifuna: “The one who gives life has been shown to us…” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “For life was revealed (made visible). We ourselves saw him. That is what I’m telling you about. Life, the one who exists forever, always dwelt with the Father. That is what I’m telling you about. I’m talking to you about that one who was revealed to us.”
  • Yanesha’: “This, of a truth, we relate to you. Now, of a truth, already it has appeared therein we completely live. We, already we have seen it, we now we reveal about him. Now we relate to you how that not will we be in mortal state, ever. This life completely was where Father was, however, for us, too, completely already it has appeared.”
  • Aguaruna: “God caused us to see (know) that life, and because it was so we are those who saw (know) him. Being so, being those who saw, we tell about him, that one who gives always life, the one who lives with our Father God, that one, concerning him we tell. What God caused us to see, concerning that one I tell.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 2:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:24:

  • Uma: “So, as for you, relatives, the news that you have heard from the first you must take-to-heart always. If that news that you have heard from the first you take-to-heart always, you will remain in harmony with God the Child and God the Father.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore really store up in your livers the preaching about Isa Almasi that you have heard when you first trusted in him. If that what you heard remains in your liver, you are really one with God’s Son and also with his Father.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The doctrine which was taught to you when you first believed must be held tightly by you. For if you hold it tight, it is not possible that you will not always be one with God our (incl.) Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Make-firm then in your minds the true teaching that you have been hearing beginning-from when- you -believed. Because if you do that, you will always be in God and in Jesu Cristo his Child,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, as for you, take good care that these words which you heard from the past remain with you. Because if you really take to heart (lit. put away in your heads) this which you heard from the past, therein you can be sure that your fellowship with God the Son and his Father won’t change/move.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore in your hearts dwell upon the words which you heard at first. If in your hearts you dwell upon the words which you first heard, then you will walk with the Son of God, and also you will walk with the Father.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Think about what you have heard since you began to trust in Christ. If you will do that you will constantly be with our father God and with his son.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we, we must plant on our hearts what we heard at the beginning. Because if we plant in our hearts what we heard at the beginning, then habitually we live with the Father and his Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “Therefore all that you heard when you began to believe God’s word, once and for all, put it in your hearts. If once and for all it has arrived in your hearts all that you heard when you began to believe God’s word, thus once and for all you have entered the presence of the Son of God and also the presence of His Father.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “As for you (plural), keep that very word which you first heard. If you keep that which you first heard, you will keep living (abiding) with the Father, like that you will do. You will keep living (abiding) with the Son also.”
  • Yanesha’: “The words from the beginning, already they have arrived on you in your heart. Let it stay thus. If the words you heard from the beginning, if you reserve them in your heart, then you will be one with his Son and the Father.”
  • Aguaruna: “What you heard at the beginning, that be remembering. Doing so you will live in (at, direction toward) God, and in his Son.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:4:

  • Uma: “But you, my children, you are-children of God, and you have defeated those lying prophets, for the Influence/Spirit [lit., clearness; sometimes used to refer to the Holy Spirit] that is in your hearts is more powerful than the influence/spirit that is in the hearts of those who do not believe in the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But, my children-grandchildren, you belong to God hep. The people who pretend to be prophets have been defeated by you because they were not able to carry-you-along/influence-you to follow their teaching. They are defeated by you because God’s Spirit in your livers is more powerful than the spirit in the people who do not follow/obey God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you, my children, you now belong to God, and you have overcome these false spirits, for God who lives in us (incl.) is more powerful than Satan who lives in the people here on the earth who are enemies of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you my children, you are God’s children, and you have defeated those liars, because (reassurance part.) they have not deceived you. For the Spirit of God who is in you is more important/powerful than Satanas who rules them who don’t believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for you, who are like my children, you are now children of God. And you have now been able to have victory over those liars who claim-falsely-to-be-prophets. You have been able to have victory over them now because the Espiritu Santo who is indwelling your body is far more supernaturally-powerful, far more than that evil-one/spirit who is Satanas who is inspiring people who haven’t submitted to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, now you are God’s people. Therefore you have been victorious over the lying prophets. Because the Holy Spirit with whom you walk is more powerful than the devil who walks with the people here on earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, we are God’s children, and we have already won out by not believing the words of those people who lie saying they speak God’s word. We have won out because God who is with us has greater authority than the deceiver who is with the people whose heads sit (who are concerned) only about what happens on this earth.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, we are God’s children. And now we have overcome the deceiver prophets, because he with whom we live is stronger than God’s enemy who rules the world.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, we are God’s children. Therefore have been conquered by us those who think wrongly they say God’s word. Because very great power has God that is here in our hearts. No power has the devil that is there in their hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Children whom I love, listen! As for you, you are of God. You overcame them. The one who lives in you overcomes (is greater than) the ones who live in the world.”
  • Yanesha’: “You, of a truth, my little ones, are of the category-lineage of our Father. You went and surpassed them. The one who fills you, he is very strong. The one that fills people of the earth, he is not so strong.”
  • Aguaruna: “My little children, you belong to God, being so you are victors over them. God, the one who is in you, that one more truly he surpasses the ones who rule this world here.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:15:

  • Uma: “And if we know that he hears our requests, we also know that we have received whatever we request of him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And because we (dual) know that he hears our (dual) requests to him, we (dual) also know that he has already given us (dual) what we (dual) ask of him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He always listens to us when we pray, and because of that, we know also that He will give what we ask for.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And if we know that he hears what we request, we also know that it is already ours.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well since we know now that he responds-positively to us, we also know now that he gives us whatever it is that we are asking for from him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If we know that God pays attention to whatever we ask for, then we know that whatever we ask for will be given to us when we pray to him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And if we know that he heeds us whatever we ask him, likewise we know that truly he will do what we ask him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And if we know that he hears well, then also we know that he will give us what we ask for.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we know that he grabs our words, thus we know also that he will give us what we ask him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Surely we know that concerning all things which we ask for He hears us. If God Himself hears, that which we ask for we will receive.”
  • Yanesha’: “If we know that he, always he listens if whatever we ask for, we know also that already we receive whatever we ask for.”
  • Aguaruna: “We know that God hears what we ask for, therefore we know that he will do it like that.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 2:3)

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

  • Uma: “If we follow God’s commands, this is a sign so that we know that we really know him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) are sure that we (dual) know God if we (incl.) follow/obey his commandments.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that God is our friend if we obey His commands to us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If we are obeying the commands of God, that’s how we definitely know that we know him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We are sure that we now know God, as long as we are obeying well what he has commanded.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “If we do what God commands, then we can know for sure that we know God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “But if we do what he commands, we know that we now know him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we really do his Word, we take for true that we know God.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we obey the commands of God, thus we know that we are his children.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “If we keep His orders, by that it is possible to know ourselves that we have learned (come to know) Jesus.”
  • Yanesha’: “If we reserve (keep in remembrance) his word, now of a truth we know of a truth thus how Christ is.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who obeys God’s word knows ‘God is surely like that.’ saying,” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:6:

  • Uma: “So, all people who remain in harmony with him, they no longer do sins. All people who keep doing sins, they haven’t seen him and they don’t know him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore whoever is one with Almasi, he does no longer sin. Anybody who is still sinning has not understood about Almasi and he has not known Christ.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, anyone who holds tight to His oneness with Christ, it is not possible that He continually does evil. That person who is always doing evil, he doesn’t yet know who Christ is and he has not yet believed in Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So whoever has-been-joined to Cristo, he doesn’t continue to sin, because the one who continues to sin, he hasn’t believed in Cristo and has absolutely not come-to-know him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The one who lives holding fast to his believing-in/obeying Jesu-Cristo, he doesn’t keep on doing sin. But the one who still keeps on with his doing of sin, he hasn’t comprehended what Jesu-Cristo is like and doesn’t really know/acknowledge him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All who walk with Jesus Christ do not continue committing sin. But all who commit sin are those who do not understand about Jesus Christ, and do not know him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we are constantly present with him, we are not evil doers. And each one of us if we are evil doers we do not yet understand who Jesus Christ is, nor are we acquainted with him.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who habitually lives with Christ doesn’t habitually do sin. But he who habitually sins, never wanted to hear Christ and he never knew him.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we are in the presence of Christ, we don’t now seek our sin. If we still seek our sin, it is because we have not yet seen Christ, we do not yet know him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who lives (abides) with Jesus only does not sin. The one who sins has not seen Him. Neither does he know Him.”
  • Yanesha’: “All whoever is one with Christ is not characterized by sin. If anyone sins, he has never seen (or found) Christ, he does not know how Christ is.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who is in Christ goods (opposite of sins), but he who doesn’t do so he does not know Christ, ‘He is like that,’ saying he does not know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:15:

  • Uma: “Whoever admits/confesses that Yesus is God’s Child, God remains in harmony with them, and they with God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever confesses/says-it-is-true to people that Isa is God’s Son, he remains/is-steadfast with God and God remains/is-steadfast with him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is anyone who says he believes in Jesus the Son of God, God lives in him and he has become one with God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Child of God, he remains in God and God also remains in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now, whoever testifies that as for Jesus, he is the Son of God, God really is holding fast to him and as for him, he is also holding fast to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who says that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God is one who walks with God, and God will not depart from him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say that Jesus is God’s son, God is constantly present with us and we are constantly present with God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who speaks truly (the truth) that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in his heart, and the person lives with God.”
  • Tzotzil: “If plainly we say that Jesus is God’s Son, God is in our hearts. Therefore we are in the presence of God.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “God abides (keeps living) in the one who says, ‘Jesus is God’s Son.’ He also abides with God.”
  • Yanesha’: “The one who admits that Jesus is our Father’s Son, that is the one who is at one with our Father.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘Jesus Christ is God’s son,’ saying, one who tells, God is (lives) in him, and also He is (lives) in God.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (Mark 8:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:16:

  • Uma: “But they did not know the meaning of that riddle, so they began talking among themselves, they said: ‘The reason he said that is that we don’t have any bread.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “His disciples spoke-among-themselves about what he had said because they did not understand it. They said, ‘Perhaps that’s why he speaks like that, because we (incl.) didn’t take bread along.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They didn’t understand that it wasn’t really for bread he was talking about. So they were talking together, they said, ‘The reason he says this is because we did not bring our supply of bread.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When he told them that, they talked-together saying, ‘Jesus said that because we have no bread for our pack-lunch.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When those disciples heard, they said-among-themselves, ‘He spoke like that because we don’t have any bread with us.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Usila Chinantec: “They asked each other why he had said this, and finally decided that it was because they had no bread.”
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “Then they began to say to each other, He said this because we didn’t bring bread. They spoke thus because they did not know that Jesus was talking about the teaching of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
  • Tzotzil: “There they began to say among themselves, In all probability it is because he knows that we have not brought bread. The disciples said this among themselves because they did not realize what the yeast was that Jesus talked about, that it is like the teachings of the Pharisees and of Herod.” (Source for this and two above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)