Language-specific Insights

complete verse (2 John 1:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:7:

  • Uma: “I write this to you, for many deceivers are going-around all over the world. They don’t believe that Yesus is the Redeemer King who became a human. People who are like that, they are deceivers and they are indeed enemies of Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Many people are teaching which is not true in the places/countries here in the world. These people don’t believe that Isa Almasi came to the earth in a human body. These people are really deceiving. They are already the ones opposing Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Many have appeared teaching lies here on the earth. They say that, as for Jesus, the one chosen by God to rule, He is not the one who became a human. Anyone who says that, he is a liar and the enemy of Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I have reminded you of this, because there are many who have come-out/appeared now who are deceiving people. What they are teaching is not true because they do not acknowledge that Jesu Cristo became a true person when he came to this earth. Those like that, they are characteristically-deceiving/lying people who oppose Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s true, this world/land is really full of misleaders of believing, those people who don’t acknowledge-as-true that as for Jesu-Cristo, he really became a man/human. Those people who are like that, they are the ones who lead astray and who oppose Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Thus I tell you, because here on earth there are many lying speakers going about. These say that Jesus Christ did not truly become a human. The person who thus says this is a deceiver, and he is the enemy of Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Many deceivers have gone out from among us and are going about in this world. They say that Jesus Christ is not born a man on this earth. Those people who are deceivers do contrary to Christ.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “This I am telling you, because a lot of deceivers are walking around in the world, who say that God’s Chosen-One didn’t become a person, that is, Jesus. But they are false, and they follow God’s enemy.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “There are many who go around in the world and say that Jesus Christ did not become a person (of the world). And one who speaks that way is deceiving and he is an enemy of Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 2:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 2:15:

  • Uma: “From that behavior of theirs we clearly know that there are commands from the Lord’s Law written in their heart. From their thinking also we know that there are laws in their heart, for they say in their hearts: ‘That action is wrong,’ or they say: ‘That action is good.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is seen by their deeds that they know in their livers as to what is said in the law of Musa. They know in their minds whether their deeds are good or bad. Sometimes they think that their deeds are bad and sometimes also they think that their deeds are good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “By means of their good works, we can tell that their breath teaches them what is commanded by the Law. They know in their minds what is good and what is bad to do. For there are times when they say that their behavior is good, and times when they say that it’s bad.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Thus they show by what they do that the commands of the law are stored/put-away in their minds. Their minds also confirm that that is true, because their minds are the very-thing that tells them whether what they are doing is good or bad.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “By how they live it is apparent that they know in their thoughts the good which the law says to do. They know whether it is good or not good what they do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

    • Central Mazahua: “Those who aren’t Jews, when they do good, it is seen that they know in their hearts what the law says. They know in their hearts when they do good, when they do bad. Their thoughts, sometimes they think, Why did I do bad? Sometimes they know that they did good.”

  • Hopi: “For he who walks that way shows that he has a law in his heart. And he knows quickly when he has sinned. And he knows when he has done right.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “In this way they show they already have the law in their hearts. All by themselves they realize what is right and their minds make them understand if they are erring or if they are doing right.”
  • Central Tarahumara: “And they thus show that they obey well a commandment which is written like there in their hearts. And they know well in their own hearts that they are thus ordered, because they are accused by their own thoughts when they do evil. And they are not thus accused when they do good.” (Source for this and two above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (3 John 1:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:5:

  • Uma: “Friend! I am happy because you faithfully [lit., remain] help our relatives who stop-in at your village. Even the ones you do not yet know, you still help them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “My beloved friend, you are really persevering in serving our (incl.) brothers who trust in Almasi even if you don’t know each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My dear brother, you are very gracious, for you took care of our (incl.) brothers who stopped by there, even though that was the first time you had met them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What you (sing.) have been doing with our brothers who have been staying-overnight there is extremely-good, because even though they are only strangers (particle indicating appreciation to addressee), you have nonetheless reportedly cared-for them properly.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “My dear friend, your nature/ways are really good in that you are always-helpful to our siblings in believing, even when not acquaintances of yours.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brother, you are doing good in that you are taking care of our brothers and even though they are strangers, you help them.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You dear Gayo, when you help our brethren who are from other places, you do a good thing.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Loved-one, there is a lot of your grace (favor) in that you take care of your siblings, even though you don’t know them.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Brother whom I love, you do well when you help the brethren even though you don’t know them.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 13:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 13:7:

  • Uma: “Give to all people what is appropriate to give them, whether it is tax or other payment. Submit to people whom it is appropriate to submit to. Honor people whom it is appropriate to honor.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore pay what is right to be paid, land tax or any tax, and respect/treat-according-to-custom and honor the ones who rule your land/place.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this, it’s necessary that we pay taxes and the other things that the government asks us to pay. And also let us respect the people in the government, and let’s show our great respect for their rank.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So let us pay the various-kinds of taxes that we are obligated to pay while at-the-same-time we also properly respect those who rule us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning all to whom you owe, pay them. Those to whom you owe the taxes, pay your taxes. Respect those who have positions.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Pay everything (or everyone) you owe. Where you owe a hand (that is, a day’s work to help build a house, or town work) give it, and where you owe a tax pay it. Where you owe respect, give it, and where you owe esteem, give esteem.”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “All authorities who ask taxes of you, pay them, and all officials and authorities respect and love them.” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 John 1:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:8:

  • Uma: “That’s why you must be careful, lest you let-go-of your faith in the Lord Yesus, with the result that there is no use to our (excl.) work bringing the Good News to you. Keep believing in the Lord, so that you will get all the return/recompense of your faith in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore take care so that all that we (incl.) have labored for is not lost, but/instead that you will receive in-total/completely your reward from God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Be on your guard so that what you have worked so hard for might not be removed from you and so that the reward of God to you in the future might not be lessened.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Be-careful then so that what we (excl.) taught you that was correct does not come-to-nothing, because if you do that, the reward that you will get/enjoy in a future day will not be taken-away-from/lessened.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore you need to be careful, so that what you’ve-worked-hard-for/suffered-hardship-for won’t be lost, but rather you will be able to receive the best reward.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Be careful in order that you will not lose what you are working at. You should want that you will be rewarded completely.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Do not believe them, because if you believe them, the benefit God wants to give to you because of our will be lost. Do you so that you will receive all the benefit which God wants to give to you.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Guard yourselves so that no one will deceive you; and it will be lost what we have worked for. But continue well so that you will gain (earn, win) all that God wants to give you afterwards.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Watch carefully that which we did among you so that you won’t lose it but rather you will receive all that which god has prepared for you.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)