Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:21:
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “They said to him, ‘Who are you then? Are you Elijah, the person who spoke God’s word long ago?’ And he said to them, ‘I am not he.’ Then they said to him again, ‘Are you the person who is to come to speak the Word of God to us?’ And he answered and said to them, ‘Not I.’ “
- Ojitlán Chinantec: ” What then? Are you Elijah: Who are you? Are you the prophet of God called Elijah? I am not: I am not Elijah.”
- Aguaruna: No, I am not Elijah. Are you the prophet: But what are you? Are you the teller of God’s word who will come, that one?”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “Are you that man who will tell God’s words?”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “Are you the prophet of God for whom we are waiting?”
- Isthmus Mixe: “Are you God’s messenger, the one Moses talked about?” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “They asked further: ‘If thus, who are you (sing.)? Are you (sing.) the prophet Elia?’ Yohanes said: ‘No also.’ They asked further: ‘Are you (sing.) perhaps the big prophet who was promised long ago, who they said would come to the world?’ Yohanes said: ‘No also.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “‘Na, who are you?’ they said. ‘Are you Eliyas?’ Yahiya said, ‘No.’ The priests said, ‘Are you the prophet that our (incl.) tribe Isra’il is waiting for/expecting?’ Yahiya answered, he said, ‘No.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they said, ‘Are you the long ago inspired one, Elijah?’ (inspired one-prophet) And John said, ‘I am not also.’ And they said, ‘Perhaps you are that prophesied prophet of God?’ And John said, ‘I am not also.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘Who are you (sing.) then? Are you (sing.) Elias? they said. ‘No,’ he said. ‘Are you (sing.) perhaps the prophet who is coming?’ they inquired again. ‘No,’ he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “‘Well if it’s like that,’ they said, ‘then who are you? Are you not the Prophet Elias?’ ‘Expletive, no,’ said Juan. ‘Well what, are you not the one who is meant by that Prophet?’ ‘Expletive, no. I won’t make-false-claims for myself.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Again they asked him, ‘But who are you then? Are you the prophet Elijah?’ John said, ‘I am not.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:8:
- Uma: “Living or dying, we still/nonetheless follow the desires of the Lord. Living or dying, we are still the Lord’s portion.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “That’s why we (incl.) are alive, so that our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi is praised. Likewise also when we (incl.) die. So-then if we (incl.) are alive or dead, we (incl.) belong to Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we die, it is just the same also. And therefore, while we are still alive or whether we are already dead, we still belong to God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “but rather we want the Lord to be honored on account of our living and so also our dying. Therefore whether we are alive or whether we die, it is the Lord who owns us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore whether we live or whether we die, it is the Lord in whose hand we are.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Highland Totonac: “And if we live, we shall only live longer in order that we should do that which the Lord God wants us to do. And if we die, we shall only die so that we shall be with the Lord God. And meanwhile that we yet live, also when we die, we always belong to the Lord God.”
- Tzeltal: “It is our Lord’s command how we are alive now, and it is again our Lord’s command what hour we die. Therefore although we are alive or although we die, it is our Lord who is in charge of us.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “While we are present living we are present in order to do like our Lord wants us to do. We will die when our Lord says we will die. Thus it is, living or dying, we are children of our Lord.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:19:
- Uma: “Those enemies of Kristus are people who were with us formerly, but actually they were not our companions. That’s why they left from our fellowship. If they had really been our companions, they would have stayed with us. But they left [emphatic] from our fellowship, that’s why we know that there wasn’t one of them that was on our side.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “These who oppose Almasi have followed us (incl.) in the beginning. But they have left us (incl.) because they were not truly of one liver with us (incl.). If they had really been of one liver with us (incl.), they would have remained with us (incl.). But they left so that it would be clear that they really were not of one liver with us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now as for these enemies of Christ, they are not our true companions, and that’s the reason why they left us (incl.). If they had been our true companions, they would not have left us. Because of their leaving, we (incl.) can know that they were not our true companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Those-ones who are opposing, they were joined-to/belonged to us previously, but they were not our true fellow believers, so they left. If it were true that they were our fellows, they would not have left. But it was God’s intention that they leave so that it would be thoroughly seen that none of them was a proper companion of ours.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “As for these ones who are opposing, even though they were indeed included with us in the past, they weren’t harmonizing with us with true harmony. Because if they were really harmonizing with us, of course they would hold fast as our friends. But since they separated from us, of course it’s clear that none of them really belong with us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Those wh are against Christ are not truly our fellow-believers, therefore they have left us. If they had truly been our fellow-believers, then they would walk together with us. But they left us in order that it would be quite apparent that they are not truly our fellow-believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The people that are doing contrary to Jesus Christ went out from among us, but not wholeheartedly (sincerely/genuinely) were they doing together with us. If they had been wholeheartedly doing together with us they would still be together with us. But they went out in order that it became clear that they are not truly one with us.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “And the enemies of Christ, are some who left us (where we are) but they were not really our fellow-believers. Because if they really had believed alike with us, we would have all remained together (in the same place). But some left, so it was known that some were not really our fellow-believers.”
- Tzotzil: “Those who are the enemies of Christ right now, they were with us. Now they have gone out because their hearts were not the same as ours. If their hearts had been the same as ours, they would still be with us. Because they left, thus it appears that not all of us were of the same heart/mind.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “They were from our group but they all forsook us. Those also have all recently become enemies of Christ. They were never really of our group. If they had been of our group then they would have followed us. By the fact that they all left us we recognize them for what they are. That’s why we say, ‘They are not of us.'”
- Yanesha’: “Among us, they went away. However, all of us were not at one. If we had been at one, they would have stayed with us. However, they went away apart, therein we know that we are not at one.”
- Aguaruna: “They went out (left) from our gathering (our group) because they were not from (belonging to) us. If they had been belonging to us they would have stayed, but they went out, ‘Let them see I am not one of them,’ 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 3:22:
- Uma: “And whatever we request he will give us, for we follow his commands and we do what makes his heart happy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whatever we (dual) ask God for we (dual) will receive because we (dual) follow/obey his commands and we (dual) do what pleases him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He will give us what we ask for since we obey His commands and we do what He wants.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “And whatever we request from him, he will give it because we are obeying his commands and we are doing what pleases/satisfies him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well therein, whatever we will request from him, it’s certain we can receive it, because we are obeying his commands and we are doing what pleases him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Whenever we ask something from God, God will give what we want because we obey the word he commands and we do what he approves of.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “And whatever we ask him, he will give it, because we do what he commands and what he likes.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we receive all that we ask for, because we do his will and also we do what he favors (looks well on).”
- Tzotzil: “Because we obey his commands, because we do what his heart wants, therefore he gives us all that we ask him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “What we ask for we will receive. For we keep God’s orders. And we do only the very work which to God is good.”
- Yanesha’: “We reserve in remembrance his put words, we do thus we please him, that’s why whatever we ask for, we receive, of a truth, from him.”
- Aguaruna: “if we do so, what we ask of God, truly we take, because we obey His Word, because we work what He desires also.” (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 5:10:
- Uma: “People who believe in God’s Child, they know in their hearts that God’s testimony is true. Whoever doesn’t believe God, they are actually calling-a-liar God, for they haven’t believed God’s testimony that talks about his Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Whoever trusts in the Son of God, he knows in his liver that Isa is really God’s Son. But the one who doesn’t believe God, it is as if he says that God is lying because he does not believe the witness of God about his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God, he has become convinced by the witness of God. Anyone who will not believe in the witness of God, he thinks of God as a liar, for he has not believed the witness of God about his Son Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Whoever then believes in the Child of God, what God confirmed concerning him has been stored-away in his mind, but as for the one who doesn’t believe what God said, he turns-God -into a liar, because of course he doesn’t believe what he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Therefore whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts the Son of God, he is sure in his mind/inner-being that this testimony of God is really true. But as for the one who doesn’t believe this testimony of God, he is doing none other than saying God is lying, because he isn’t believing what he is testifying concerning his Son.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “He who believes the Son of God already knows in his own heart that what he believes is true. He who does not believe what God says, this person calls God a liar because he does not believe the word God has said about who his Son is.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we trust in God’s son, God speaks about his son in our head-hearts. If we do not believe God’s words, we treat God like a liar, because we do not believe his words which he speaks about his son.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who believes God’s Son, has been given understanding, and knows, himself, in his heart what is true. But he who doesn’t believe God, he looks on God as a liar, because he didn’t believe what God said about his Son.”
- Tzotzil: “If we believe the word of the Son of God, thus we know that it is true what God has told us about his Son. If we do not believe the word of God’s Son, we think wrongly that God lies because we do not believe what God has told us about his Son.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who rests-the-whole-weight of his heart on God’s Son has God’s telling in his own heart. The one who doesn’t say, ‘God is telling the truth’ makes God as-if-He-were-a-liar. For he doesn’t keep (believe) God’s telling, For he doesn’t say, ‘It’s true’ about what God says about His Son.”
- Yanesha’: “If any one believes in our Father’s Son, he has thus he knows by himself. The one who does not believe in our Father does toward him as if he were a deceiver, because he does not believe our Father, his causing-to-know with reference to his Son.”
- Aguaruna: “He who says ‘Jesus is truly God’s son,’ that one thinks the truth concerning what God tells, but he who does not believe this is like that one who says ‘God is a liar,’ because he does not believe what God told about his Son.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
- Sayula Popoluca: “He who believes God’s Son, he knows that it is true that which God says. And he who doesn’t believe God, he says that God lies, because he doesn’t believe what God says so we can know his Son.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:8:
- Uma: “So, it is so appropriate we help them, so that it is like we accompany them in their work carrying the true news.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore we (incl.) the disciples of Isa, should help them so that we (incl.) will be included in their work preaching the true teaching.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, it is necessary that we (incl.) who are believers give to them so that we might help in their spreading the true doctrine.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “So it is necessary that we who believe be the ones to help them so that we will share-in their work of making-known the true teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Therefore it’s necessary that we regard this as our job/responsibility to look after their needs, so that we can also help to spread this truth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore it is necessary that we help those who speak the word which is true in order that all of us help in the spread of the word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We then must help all our brethren who travel thus and thus unite with them as they proclaim the truth.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “So we must help them, and take care of them, and same (equally) thus we will help each other in the work of the Word of God.”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “This is the way it is necessary for us to help people like them, in order to do the work of God with them.” (Source for this and two 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 we went with Jesus again to the town of Cana . . .”
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 had not arrived inside the town at the time, we were still detained where Martha came to meet us.”
