Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 2:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:22:

  • Uma: “Who are those liars? The liars are people who deny that Kristus is the Redeemer King. They are the enemies of Kristus, for they reject God the Father and God the Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Now, who is a liar? The liar is a person who says that Isa is not the Almasi who is chosen by God as ruler. The person who says this is the Opposing Almasi. He does not believe-obey in God and his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Who is the liar? He is the one who says that Jesus is not the one chosen by God to rule. The one who says this is an enemy of Christ, for he says that our Father God is not the true one to be worshipped, and he also says that Christ is not the Son of the true God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Who then is the liar if not the one who says that Jesus is not the Cristo whom God sent? The one who says this, he is the one who opposes Cristo, and it is not only God’s Child whom he does not acknowledge but rather God as well.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Who am I referring to as being a liar, if not the one who gives out that as for Jesus, he is not that Cristo who is the Savior King was promised by God? A person like this is who is meant by opponent of Cristo, he who rejects God the Father and his Son Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Let us know who the liar is. The liar is that one who says that Jesus is not the Christ whom God appointed to rule. That one is the enemy of Christ because he denies the Father and he denies the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person is a liar who says about Jesus that he is not the Christ the Son of God. The person who shoves aside our father God and his son, that person does contrary to Christ.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know which word is a lie. That which denies that Jesus is the same as the Christ, the Chosen-One of God. He is God’s enemy who says that, and thinks that Jesus Christ is not God’s Son. Neither does he believe the Father.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘Jesus Christ has not been given his work by God,’ we are lying. If we say ‘God is not the father of Jesus Christ,’ we are opposing Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “Who is a liar? The person who says of Jesus, ‘He is not the true Christ,’ that one is a liar. The one who says, ‘No’ about-the-Father, and also, ‘No’ about-the-Son, that one is Jesus’ enemy.”
  • Yanesha’: “Who is a deceiver? A deceiver, is he not one who denies how that Jesus is Christ? This one who is mad at Christ is the one who denies how the Father is God and how his Son who is Jesus is the one who Christs.”
  • Aguaruna: “Who is more a liar that one saying ‘Jesus is not Christ,’? (rhetorical question, only possible answer is ‘no-one’) The one who says that, he is the one who is angry at Christ, that one you saying ‘God isn’t our Father,’ and also ‘Christ is not God’s son,’ he says it.”
  • Murui Huitoto: “The one who says that Jesus is not the Christ lies. He is an impostor of Christ. He makes God’s Word as nothing. He also makes God’s sons word as nothing.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:2:

  • Uma: “This is a sign so that we know who is controlled by the Spirit which is from God: all people who admit-confess that Yesus is the Redeemer King who became a man/human, those people are-children of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Like this you can recognize the people that have God’s Spirit: whoever says that Isa Almasi came to the world in the body of a human/mankind, that person has God’s Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Any spirit which says that Jesus, the one God chose to rule, has become human, that spirit comes from God. By means of this, you can perceive the spirit which comes from God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The way-that-you -can-distinguish whether the Holy Spirit is the source of what they are saying is this: if they acknowledge that Jesus is the Cristo who became a person, the Spirit of God is where it is from.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Like this is how you can know if it is the Espiritu Santo who was caused to indwell (us) by God who really is the one inspiring (lit.putting it in the mind of) a person. The one who testifies that as for Jesu-Cristo, he really became a real human and came down here to the world, it’s certain that the Espiritu Santo of God is inspiring him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I will tell you how you can know whether it is true that the Holy Spirit put into the person’s mind the words he speaks or not. Everyone who says that Jesus Christ truly became human, that is one who truly speaks God’s word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “This is how we may know if the Spirit of God is in the head-heart of a person: Everyone who says that Jesus Christ is God and he was born a man on this earth, we know that the Spirit of God is in his head-heart.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We must know which word is really God’s Word. If it says that God’s chosen-One became a person and he is Jesus Christ, that is really the Word of God.”
  • Tzotzil: “I will tell you how it is if we have received the Spirit of God. If plainly we say ‘Jesus Christ has come and took his body here in the world (became a person),’ we have received the Spirit of God for sure.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who says, ‘Jesus Christ arrived with-his-very-body,’ says it by God’s Spirit. By that means we recognize God’s Spirit. Only the very one who says that is from God.”
  • Yanesha’: “Here, therein you will know our Father, his following: Whichever is the one which admits that Jesus Christ was born as a human here on earth, that following comes from our Father.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘Jesus Christ becoming person was born,’ saying, that thought it is of God. Like that you all are able to know ‘It belongs to God,’ saying.”
  • Murui Huitoto: “Everyone who tells that Jesus Christ became a man pertains to God. From telling like this you will know God’s teller.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 5:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:13:

  • Uma: “To you who believe in God’s Child I write this letter, so that you truly know that you have received good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I write this to you so that you will be assured that you have everlasting life. This writing is for you the ones who trust in God’s Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You who have believed in the Son of God, I write to you so that you might know that you already have life without end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I have written these-things to you who believe in the Child of God so that you will come-to-know that you have in you the life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for these things, I’m writing them to you who believe-in/obey and trust the Son of God, so that you can be sure that as for you, you have life which is without ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I write these words in the letter here that those who believe the Son of God will know that they have the new life forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I have written these things to you, who now trust in God’s son, so you will know that you have eternal life.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “This I am writing to you so that you will know that you possess the new life, because (in that) you believe God’s Son.”
  • Tzotzil: “Therefore I wrote you this, you (pl.) who have also believed the word of God’s Son in order that thus you know that you will live forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to those of you who rest-the-whole-weight of your hearts on God’s Son. I am writing to you in order that you may learn (come to understand) eternal life, that which you possess.”
  • Yanesha’: “These things I wrote to you, you who believe in our Father’s Son, then, thus will you know of a truth, that you will not always be in a mortal state (capable of dying), forever.”
  • Aguaruna: “I’m writing to those of you who believe in God’s Son, ‘that they know they will always live,’ saying.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 2:1)

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

  • Uma: “My children, the reason I write this is so we won’t do sins. But if there is someone who commits sin, there is the one who acts-as-middle-man-for us before God the Father. He is Yesus Kristus the upright one.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “My children-grandchildren, I write this to you so that you don’t sin. But if there-is-someone who-does-sin, there is a go-between putting-us (dual)-right/reconciling us (dual) with our (dual) Father God. This go-between is Isa Almasi the straight/righteous one.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you who are like my children, the reason I am writing to you is: so that your faith might be drawn tight and so that you might not sin. However, if there is anyone of us (incl.) who sins, we (incl.) have a datu who helps us before God our Father. Our datu is Jesus Christ who is very righteous.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You who are my children, I have written this to you so you don’t sin. But if there is one of us who sins, there is (reassurance particle) Jesu Cristo who has absolutely no sin who speaks-with God the Father for us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You who are like my children, I am writing these things to you so that (emphatic) you no longer do sin. However, sometimes we do indeed happen-to-do-sin, but let us bear-in-mind that there is someone standing up for us there with God the Father. Jesu-Cristo, he being really righteous, he is this one who is standing up for us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, I write you this word here in order that you will not commit sin. But if there be one who has the misfortune to commit sin, there is our spokesman there where the Father is. This one is Jesus Christ and he has no sin.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, these things I write you in order that you will not do evil. But if any of us should do evil, there is a person who speaks in favor of us before our father God, he is Jesus Christ the person who walks straight (is righteous).”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children who are believers, I am writing this paper to you. I’m telling you not to do sin. But if a believer does sin, there is our Helper, who is Jesus Christ, the Good-person, he will speak to the Father about us when we sin.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, I wrote thus to you in order that you not anymore sin. If there are those of you who have sinned, remember that Jesus Christ talks for us (on our behalf) before our Father God. He (Jesus Christ) has a straight heart.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Murui Huitoto: “You are as if you were my own children, therefore I am writing to you lest you do sin.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “In order that you children not live bad, for that purpose I am writing this. However, if we live bad, there is a defender (one whose profession is to defend) for us at the Father’s. His name is Jesus Christ, the straight one.”
  • Yanesha’: “My little ones, these things I write to you thus not will you sin. However, if when anyone sins, the one who speaks in the presence of Father for us, there is. That one is Jesus Christ who completely fitting is whatever he does.”
  • Aguaruna: “My little children, I write to you. ‘That they not go to sin,’ saying; but when failing you go to sin, there is one who defends (saves through speaking) on your behalf, Jesus Christ, the blameless one. that one. He will defend, on your behalf, to our Father.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:4:

  • Uma: “All people who do sins break God’s commands. For this is what is called sin, breaking God’s commands.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever sins, breaks God’s law, because if we (dual) sin we (dual) already break God’s law.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If someone sins, he has transgressed the Law of God, for behaviour which is called sin is any kind of behavior which is a transgression of the Law of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever sins, he has broken God’s law, because sin is breaking the law just the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the one who does sin, he is fighting/breaking the laws of God. Because what is meant by sin is, fighting/breaking the laws of this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All who commit sin break God’s law. Because sin means that one breaks the law.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we (are accustomed to) do evil we do not receive from (obey) the law because the evil we are doing goes contrary to the law.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who does sin, he just disobeys what God says. When we disobey the law of God, it is sin.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we seek our sin, we break his commandments. When we break his commandments we sin.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one habitually lives bad is oblivious to God’s orders. What is (characteristically) sin? When one throws away God’s orders that is sin.”
  • Yanesha’: “All whoever sins, that one disobeys the words which are thus put (by God). If we disobey words which are thus put, that is sin.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who works sin, God’s word which is to be obeyed, he doesn’t obey it. A sinner is one who disobeys God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “Whoever sins, he doesn’t obey God’s law. Because when we sin, we don’t obey God’s law.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:13:

  • Uma: “This is a sign so we can know that we remain in harmony with God and God with us: because he has given us his Spirit who is holy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (incl.) are assured that we (incl.) are one with God and God also remains/is-steadfastly with us (incl.) because God has given us (incl.) his Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He has caused the Holy Spirit to inspire us, and because of that we can tell that we have been made one with Him and that the Holy Spirit lives here in us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The way we know for-sure that we remain in God and he also remains in us, he gave us his Spirit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And we know that we are holding fast to God and that as for him, he is also holding fast to us, because we are always being helped by the Espiritu Santo whom he caused to indwell our body.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “God sent the Holy Spirit in order for us to know that we walk with God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “We know that we are constantly with him and he is constantly with us because he sent his Spirit in order that he is in our head-hearts.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know that we live with God, and God resides in our hearts. This we know because he gave us his Good Spirit.”
  • Tzotzil: “On account of (through) the Holy Spirit that he has given us thus we know that we are in the presence of God. We know also that God is in our hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “We abide in Him. He also abides in us. We come to know (learn) this by the fact that He put His own Spirit in us.”
  • Yanesha’: “He, he went and gave us his Spirit, that’s why we know that we, already we are at one.”
  • Aguaruna: “We are in him and he is in us, that we know, because He gave his spirit to us.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 2:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:12:

  • Uma: “Children, I write to you this letter, because your sins are forgiven because of the Lord Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I write to you my children-grandchildren, because your sins are already forgiven because of Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I write to you, my children, for your sins have been forgiven because of Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My children, I have written this to you because your sins have already been forgiven on-account-of Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I am writing to you who are like my children because your sins have now been forgiven, for Jesus took-the- punishment-for them on the cross.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, I write this word to you here in the letter because God has now forgiven your sins because of Jesus Christ who died on your account.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I am writing to you my little children because God has already forgiven us. He has forgiven us because Jesus Christ paid for our guilt.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “I’m writing to you, my dear children, because you know your sins have been forgiven, by what Christ did.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, because your sins are forgiven because of Jesus Christ, therefore I am talking to you by letter.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to you children. For God has cleansed your sins because of Jesus, for his sake.”
  • Yanesha’: “My little ones, your sins are forgiven because of Christ, that’s why I am writing to you.”
  • Aguaruna: “Children, I am writing to you because Jesus has eradicated, on your behalf, your sin.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:15:

  • Uma: “All people who hate their relatives, they are the same as killers [emphatic]. And you know, relatives, that murders do not get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever hates his fellow-man it is as if he has killed. And you know that a murderer has no everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who acts against his companions, God considers him to be like a murderer; and we (incl.) know that if there is a person who wants to murder, he has not yet come to own life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “For the one who hates his brother/cousin is like the murderer just the same, and we know of course that the murderer, he doesn’t have the life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because whoever ignores/spurns his sibling in believing, he is the same as a murderer of his fellowman. Isn’t it indeed so that you know already that, whoever is a murderer of his fellowman, he really doesn’t have life which is without ending?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Everyone who hates his brother is like as though he were a murderer. And you know that not one murderer meets up with the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Any of us if we hate our fellows, before God we are like murderers. And we know that no one who is like that has eternal life.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who hates his sibling is a murderer. And you know that there is no murderer who has (possesses) the new life.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we hate the brethren, we have already become killers. You know that whoever kills he has not received life forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “One who hates his brother is a murderer (one who kills more than one). Surely you know that in him, that is in a murderer, eternal life does not dwell.”
  • Yanesha’: “All these who despise their countrymen, they are killers. You know that those who are killers, in their hearts does not stay life forever.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who hates his brother he is like a murderer, and all murderers, they will not live always, that we know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)