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 we got into the boat to return to Capernaum. It was late and Jesus had not yet arrived where we were.”
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: “We his disciples did not understand at the time . . . After people had killed Jesus and God had given him great honor, at that time we remembered the words that are written about him and we realized that they did to him as it is written.”
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 we left and returned to our homes.”
Following are a number of back-translations of John 15:8:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “If you give very much fruit, if you do very much what God wants, in this manner you honor the Father and thus it shows that you are really my disciples.”
- Aguaruna: “When you give much fruit and the people see that, they will say, ‘Surely he is Jesus’ follower.’ When you do this they will praise my Father.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “In that way you make my Father big, doing much good so that people know that truly you are my disciples.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “My Father receives honor when you do very much the things which he likes and also you are showing that you are following me like you should, if you are doing very much the things that he likes.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “If you bear much fruit, my Father is made big. If like that your behavior, you are really my followers.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “If you do much good, my Father will be praised and it will also be known that you are truly my disciples.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If you continue fruiting, which is to say, if your works are always good, people will praise my Father God, and it will be known that you truly are my disciples.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “This is wherein-my Father -is-honored, if your faith has much fruit, and this also is how you will show that you are my disciples.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “The praiseworthiness/glory of my Father is apparent when/if the fruit of your believing/obeying is plentiful and growing well in your life. If it’s like that, it’s proof that you are my disciples.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “My Father will be respected when you live good lives. This also will make it apparent that you are my learners.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:7:
- Uma: “Relatives whom I love, the command I write to you here, it is not a new command. This command, it is a command you have long heard, one which you received from the first. This command, it is the news that says we [should] love one another.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Now, my beloved friends, the command I am writing you here is not new. Since you trusted in Isa Almasi, this command has really been there with you. This is hep the preaching that you have heard that you should love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My dear brothers, it is not a new commandment this which I command you, for it was given long ago. This was commanded to you when you first believed. This command is that same Word which was taught to us (incl.) that we (incl.) should hold anyone of our companions dear.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “My friends, it is not a new command that I make-known to you, for beginning-from your believing in Jesu Cristo, you have been hearing the command which says that we must love-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “You whom I hold dear, this isn’t at all a new command which I am writing to you, but rather it’s that indeed, that which was originally commanded you long ago. As for this original command which I am referring to, it’s this word which has been taught which you have already heard, that we value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, this word that I write here in the letter and which I order you to do is not new. Rather this is what you were ordered to do when you believed the good news long ago.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “You brethren, I write you to tell you what Jesus Christ commands us to do. What he commands us to do is not a new command but rather an old command which you have known since you began to trust in Christ. What he commands us to do, that very thing is what you have heard since the beginning.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, the Word that I am writing to you isn’t new, but it is the same word which we heard from the beginning a long time ago, that we love one another.”
- Tzotzil: “My brethren, it is not a new command that I am writing to you. I am only writing to you the command that long ago you heard when you began to believe God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to you ones whom I love. However it is not a new order that I am writing. This is the very (same) old order which you had in the beginning. This old order is the message which you heard before, that’s the one it is.”
- Yanesha’: “My loved ones, what I write to you are not new words that I am telling you to do. These words from way past were put for you, from the beginning. These words from way past put are words you have heard.”
- Aguaruna: “Ones I love, I write you not a new word, you before when you first heard the good word you heard it, just that. You are those who heard it long ago before;” (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 3:10:
- Uma: “This is a sign so that we know who are-children of God and who are-children of the King of Evil-ones. All people who do not do God’s will, they are not God’s children. So also people who do not love their relatives, they are not God’s children.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “This is the difference between the children of God and the children of Satan/demon: the one who does not do the straight or does not love his fellow-men, he is not a child of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person whose behavior is not righteous, this is a sign that he is not a son of God. Neither is any person a son of God who does not love his companion. By means of this, we can perceive who the sons of God are and who are the subjects of Satan.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Our means-of-distinguishing the children of God and the children of the Diablo is this: the people who are not children of God, they are the ones who are not doing what is good and who are not loving their companions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Herein we can recognize whoever are now children of God, and who are still children of Satanas. As for the one who doesn’t persevere in doing righteousness in the sight of God and does not value his sibling in believing, it’s certain that he is not a child of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now it will be known who are the ones who are God’s children, and who are the devil’s children. Everyone who does not want to do good nor wants to love his fellowman is not God’s child.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “This shows who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. Whoever of us if we do not walk straight (are not righteous) we are not the children of God. And whoever of us if we do not love our fellowman we are not the children of God.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “In this way we can know which are children of God and which are children of the devil. He who habitually doesn’t do good isn’t God’s child, neither is one who doesn’t love his sibling.”
- Tzotzil: “Thus it appears if we are the children of God, or if we are the children of the devil. Because if what we do is evil, if we do not love the brethren, we are not God’s children for sure.”
- Garifuna: “The one who is not level (righteous) is not God’s offspring, nor the one who does not love his own kind ones (brother). Thus it is that God’s offspring and the devil’s offspring are known.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “By what means can one recognize God’s children? How can we recognize Satan’s children? The one who does not live straight is not (a descendant) of God. Nor is the one who does not love his brother of God.”
- Yanesha’: “Here, therein we know who is of the category-lineage of our Father, also who is of the category-lineage of the devil. All who do not do as is fitting, these are not of the category-lineage of our Father. The one who does not love his countrymen, this one, too is not of the category-lineage of our Father.”
- Aguaruna: “Therefore (by that) it is known who is God’s child, and who is devil’s child. He who does not work good is not God’s child, and also he who does not love his brother, he is not God’s child.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
- Sayula Popoluca: “We know God’s sons and the Devil’s man because whoever doesn’t do that which is true, and doesn’t love his brother is not God’s son.” (Source for this and four above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:19:
- Uma: “We are loving, because God is the one who first loved us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (incl.) love because God first loved us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason that He is now very dear in our breath is because we were first dear in His breath.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “We love because God went-ahead to love us (i.e. loved us first).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “The truth is, we now ourselves hold dear and value because we are already being held dear and valued by God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “We love God now, because we have now understood that it was he who loved us first.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We love God because he first began to love us.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “We love (esteem) God because first God loved us.”
- Tzotzil: “First God loved us therefore we love God now.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “We love God, for He first loved us.”
- Yanesha’: “He, he went and loved us first, that’s why, we, we love him too.”
- Aguaruna: “We love God, because he loved us first.” (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 2 John 1:9:
- Uma: “All people who wander/detour from the true teaching, and they do not follow the teaching of Kristus, those people are not connected with God. People who remain following the teaching of Kristus, they are connected with God the Father and with God the Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whoever does not remain/stick-to the teaching of Almasi but goes beyond (it), God is not there with him. Whoever stays/remains with the teaching of Almasi, both the Father and the Son are with him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person who has abandoned the true doctrine taught by Christ so that he might hold fast to a false doctrine that he has added on, he has not become one with God. Anyone, by contrast, who holds fast to the true doctrine, he is the one who has been made one with our Father God and His Son.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Any person, if he doesn’t continue to follow what Cristo taught, but rather exceeds it, he doesn’t know God. But the one who carries-on in following what Cristo taught, God the Father and his Child also are in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “As for the one who is not holding fast to the teaching of Cristo, because he is (emphatic) overriding it, he is really far from God. However, whoever is holding fast to this teaching of Cristo, he is really being held fast to by God the Father and Son.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the person who does not want to say only what Christ taught, but speaks other words which Christ did not teach, he is a person who does not walk with God. But the person who speaks only what Christ taught is one who walks with the Father and also with the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Any of us if we are forsaking what Christ taught us and are taking another road, God is not with us. But if we are constantly heeding what Christ taught us, our father God and his son are with us.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “But whoever wants to go beyond (outdo) God’s teaching, and doesn’t want to remain in the teaching of Christ, but then he isn’t with God. But he who remains in the teaching of Christ, he is with the Father, and also with his Son.”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “Whoever goes another direction (all one verb stem) and no longer follows what Christ taught does not know (is not acquainted with)God. But whoever follows what Christ taught, he truly knows God the Father and His Son.”
- Sayula Popoluca: “He who goes astray after another doctrine and doesn’t remain (stay with) Christ’s doctrine, he doesn’t have fellowship with God . . ..” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
