Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:18:
- Aguaruna: “Truly God is one who is not seen, but his Son, his beloved, the only one, that one is the one who causes us to know his Father.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “No one has ever yet seen God. His only Son whom God loves has taught mankind what God is like.”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “The one who is the only Son of God since they love one another, that one has shown us how God is.”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “God truly loved his only Son. He is the one who showed how God is. “
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “Very much his Father loved that only Son. That Son has pointed out God the Father.”
- Chol: “. . . who is close to the Father’s heart, this is the one who has caused the Father to become known.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “There is no-one who has seen God. But his Only Child, Who lives always at his side, He is the one who explains / makes-clear God to us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Nobody has seen God, but God is made known to mankind by his only Son, for he is really God and he is one with his Father. So-then there were people who went to Yahiya while he was bathing people on the other side of the river Jordan at the village Betani.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “No human being has ever seen God, however his only son, he has caused us to know his father God, because they are always companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “No one has-been-able-to-see God, but his only Child who is his Father’s companion continually, it is he who has made-him-known.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Really from long ago, there’s no one at all who has seen God the Father. But now it’s like we have seen him now, because concerning this God the Father has been made clear to us by this one-and-only Son of his whom he holds-very-dear.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Never has anyone seen God. The only Son of God who lives where the Father lives has told us about God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “No person whosoever[intensifier] has seen God the Father. But he was-made-known to us (incl.) by the one of a kind God who is always a companion with the Father.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Mairasi: “No person at all has seen Great Above One, but His Only Child. He lives in equality with His Father and He Himself lives right with Him in the palm of His Hand. He Himself is the One Who reveals His Father’s Name and glory to us. ” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Bariai: “Previously and since, no one saw God, yet that only-one God, who was living at his Father’s side, his mouth followed concerning to us (incl.) about God.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Kupsabiny: “There is no person who has seen God, but this child who derives from God is the one who has seen him. He was together with his Father and he revealed to us how God is.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 7:11:
- Uma: “Upon my hearing the Lord’s Law, sin ended up having opportunity to work in my heart. We can say like this: from the Lord’s Law, sin ended up causing my downfall with the result that I am fit to be punished with death and separated from God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “It is as if I were deceived by sin because I cannot follow/obey the law of God. And the result of it is (that) I die and I go to hell.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It’s as if evil activity deceived me, because by means of evil activity which was against the Law, I finally understood that I was sentenced to death without end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
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- Kankanaey: “I was admittedly deceived on account of my hereditary sinfulness, because I indeed thought that it was possible for me to attain life by means of my obeying the law, but the truth of it was that I was breaking it (particle of realization), so I was condemned to be separated from God forever.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the sin I had, it caused that I was deceived in my mind, I thought I could do what all the law said. But there in the law I found that it said I would go to punishment because of my sin.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The evil which was in my head-heart deceived me and caused me not to listen to the law, and for that reason I began to be guilty.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:5:
- Uma: “This is the news that we (excl.) heard from Yesus and we (excl.) announce to you: God, he is light, there is not any darkness in him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “This is what we (excl.) heard from Isa Almasi and we (excl.) also tell it to you: that God is truly light and there is no darkness in him. That means there really is no sin of his whatsoever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I will cause you to understand what the Son of God caused us (excl.) to understand, that as for God, He is the source of life and there is no darkness at all in Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “This is what we (excl.) heard from that-aforementioned Child of God and that is what we (excl.) make-known to you: God is like light/a light, for there is absolutely no darkness in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “This is that word which we (excl.) heard from the Son of God which we (excl.) are telling to you. As for God, what he is like is a bright light. There is no darkness at all with him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “This now is the word Jesus Christ taught us and this is what we tell you now: that God is very good and in no way can it be seen that there is anything wrong with him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We heard (with attention) what Jesus Christ said and we proclaim it to you how he said that God, for his doing good, is like light. Not even a little bit is he like darkness.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “Then here is the word that Jesus Christ told us (ex), that God is Light, which wants to say, God is entirely good and there is no darkness with regards to him, not even a little.”
- Tzotzil: “I will tell you the word of Jesus Christ how he told us. Thus he told us There is only sunlight in the presence of God. Not even a little bit is there darkness in his presence. Because God is straight-hearted, not even a little bit is there sin in his heart, he said.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “This is the message which he (Christ) told us. That’s what I’m telling you all about, God Himself is light. In Him, God, there is no darkness.”
- Yanesha’: “These are the words which he caused us to hear, now we are going to relate them to you: Our Father, he lights (verb, meaning functions as day-light). He, about him, there is no darkness, not even a little bit.”
- Aguaruna: “‘God is light. He truly is not darkness.’ That is the word which Jesus Christ spoke, hearing that I tell you all.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:27:
- Uma: “But you, relatives, you have received [emphatic] the Holy Spirit who is from Kristus, and that Spirit remains in your hearts. You no longer need another to teach you, for the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches you every sort of thing. His teaching is all true, there is nothing that is a lie. So, like he already taught you, remain in harmony with Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But Almasi has already sent his Spirit into your liver, therefore you don’t need to be taught by anybody. God’s Spirit will teach you about all things. All his teaching is true. He does not lie. Therefore follow/obey all his teaching so that you will be one with Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But as for you, it’s not necessary that there be someone different to teach you for Christ has caused you now to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. By means of that, you can come to understand all that Christ wants you to understand. That which he causes you to understand is, by contrast, true and not a lie. That’s why it’s necessary that you hold fast to your being made one with Him as you have been taught.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But I know, mind you, that the Holy Spirit whom Cristo gave is always in you, so you don’t need someone-else to teach you. Because he teaches you all that you need to come-to-know and all that he teaches is true. Follow then what he is teaching (aforementioned) and continue moreover to believe in Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But as for you, Cristo has now caused you to be indwelled by the Espiritu Santo. Therefore since there is now this Espiritu Santo indwelling you, you no longer need to be taught by others concerning what is the truth. Because he now is the one teaching you all things, and there’s no teaching of his which isn’t true. Therefore obey this teaching of the Espiritu Santo, and hold fast to Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to help you. Therefore it is not necessary for anyone to teach you who I am telling you about. Because the Holy Spirit himself will teach you all who are true, all who are not true. And that which the Holy Spirit will teach you is what is true and not lies. Therefore only now have Christ fill your heart, because this is what the Holy Spirit teaches you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Christ gave you the Spirit of God and he is constantly with you. You do not need anyone else to teach you because the Spirit is present teaching you everything. He speaks true words and does not lie. Be constantly present with Jesus Christ because that is what the Spirit has taught you.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “But we, the Good Spirit whom Jesus Christ gave us, He resides in our hearts. So we don’t need for anyone else to teach us. Because the Good Spirit of God resides in our hearts, he is what gives us an understanding in regard to everything we think about. And he is the one who speaks the truth and is no liar. And he tells us to habitually live with Christ, and we won’t depart from him.”
- Tzotzil: “Jesus Christ gave us the Holy Spirit. Once and for all He is there in our hearts. Therefore it is not necessary that there be another our teacher because he teaches us all things. His word is true, he is not a liar. Just as the Holy Spirit has taught you, so stay in the presence of Jesus Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “The Spirit which Jesus put in you doesn’t ever leave you. Why should other people have to teach you? The Holy Spirit teaches you all things completely. He teaches only the very truth. He doesn’t know how to lie. Keep that very teaching which He teaches you. Keep living with Jesus.”
- Yanesha’: “And the Holy Spirit which Christ gives you, let it stay thus. Then you will not be lacking someone to teach you. This which fills you is that which teaches you everything. This is completely of a truth, not deception at all. Thus it teaches you that which fills you, be one with him.”
- Aguaruna: “but the Spirit which Jesus Christ sent to you will not leave (desert) you, therefore ‘Let another teach us,’ you are not able (ought not, need not) say. That Spirit will teach you the truth, that which is not a lie. He taught you ‘You live in Christ!’ Therefore do the same.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:7:
- Uma: “Relatives whom I love! Let us love one another, because love appears from God. All people who love others, they are the ones who are-children of God and who know God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “My beloved friends, we (incl.) should love each other because love is from God. Whoever really loves, he is a child of God and he knows God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My dear brothers, it is necessary that we (incl.) thoroughly show our love for each other, for love comes from God. Anyone who has great love for his companions, he is the one who has been made the child of God and the friend of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “My friends, we love-one-another because God is where love comes-from. So the one who loves his fellow, that one is the child of God who knows him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “My dear ones, let us make sure that we value one another, because as for God, he is the source of this valuing. Well each one who values like this, it’s clear that he has as-it-were been given birth to by God and he now really knows him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, it is necessary that each of us loves our fellow-believers. Because he who loves his fellowman does what God has determined. He who loves his fellowmen is God’s child. And such a one is an acquaintance of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “You whom I love, we must love our fellows each of us the other because God causes us who are his children to love our fellows. If we love our fellows we are God’s children and we are acquainted with him.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “Loved ones, come let us love one another. Because love comes from God. And he who loves his fellow-man is born anew by God, and knows God well.”
- Tzotzil: “You that I love, let us love one another because it is on account of God that we take on the character of a lover. (love) If we take on the character of a lover it is because we have been born again in the presence of God for sure. We know God.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Ones whom I love, listen! Let’s love each other now. For love is of God. The one who habitually loves is in -the-state-of-having-been-born by-means-of-God. He learned of God.”
- Yanesha’: “My loved ones, let us characteristically love one another. Love comes from our Father. All lovers are born from our Father and know our Father how he is.”
- Aguaruna: “Ones I love, let’s love one another, because God causes us to love. He who loves is God’s child, being so he knows ‘God is like that,’ saying.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:18:
- Uma: “What we know: all people who are-children of God, they no longer do sins, for God’s Child guards them and the King of Evil-ones is not able to defeat them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (incl.) know that if a person is a child of God, he no longer sins because he is cared for by God’s Son and he is not carried-along/influenced by the leader of demons.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that there is one who has become a child of God who continually does evil, for he has been stregthened about by the Son of God, and Satan can no longer meddle with him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Therefore there are three things that we know. The first, we know that no child of God continues to sin, because the Child of God who is Jesu Cristo protects him, and Satanas has no way of touching him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “We really know now that as for those who have been as-it-were given birth to by God, they dont just go on doing sin, because they are now being taken care of by Jesu-Cristo who is the Son of God. It’s no longer possible/acceptable (for them) to be taken over again by Satanas.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “We know that the person who has God for his Father does not now live in the sin that he had been doing. Because the Son of God helps him where he goes, he does not let the devil spoil the person’s heart.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We know that any of us if we are children of God we are not evil doers, because Jesus Christ God’s son is covering-protecting us in order that the deceiver will not win out over us (in) causing us to believe (obey) him.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know that all whoever are born anew by God, don’t reside in sin. But God’s Son guards them, and the big-evil-one can’t remove them from God;”
- Tzotzil: “We know that if we have been born again in the presence of God thus we do not now seek sin. Because God’s Son is caring for us thus the devil cannot molest us.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “How can one who is born of God live bad? For God’s Son defends him. The evil-one can do nothing against him.”
- Yanesha’: “We know that if any one is born again from our Father, he is not characteristically sinful. Christ who is God’s Son watches him, thus the devil there is nothing he can do.”
- Aguaruna: “We who are God’s children, we do not stay (live) sin, because God’s son cares for us. Therefore the devil cannot touch us, that we know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
- Garifuna: “We know that the one who has become God’s offspring does not come to have the custom of sinning. God’s offspring will take care of that person. It is impossible for the devil to do anything with him.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “And Jesus said to us. . .”
In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “Then our fellow (member of a common group) Thomas said to us . . .”
