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 Martha when she knew we were coming went out to meet 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 the high priest asked Jesus about us his disciples . . .”
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: “This was the third time Jesus had showed himself to us disciples of his since he had come to life from among the dead people.”
Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:38:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: The one who believes in me will have like a spring in his heart. And much good water will come forth. Thus it is written in the Word of God.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “When one believes in me, it is as you might say, unfailing springs of water come up in his heart, according to the writings.”
- Aguaruna: “If you believe in me, in your heart, life will come bubbling out, like a stream coming out bubbles. God’s Word which has been written says it will be like that.”
- Shipibo-Conibo: “. . . Out of you (pl.) shall flow like a mountain stream, water by which to live.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “I will do like the Word of God which is written says, so that you who trust in me will love other people and you will help them to receive eternal life, like rivers cause the earth that is at the side of them to grow everything.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “Like is written in the Holy Book: whoever believes in me, from their hearts flows much living water.’ ["living water" in Uma means a spring, so this could mean "many springs" or "much spring water"]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Because it is written in the holy-book about the person who believes in me, the holy-book says, ‘Figuratively there will be waters/rivers springing/welling up from inside his liver, water which makes alive.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because,’ said Jesus, ‘according to the written word of God, if there is anyone who believes in me, from his breath will flow water which is able to give life forever.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written that says, ‘Whoever believes in me, there will be in him that which gives life which will be like water that flows-out from a spring continually.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Because this is the meaning of the word/speech contained in that writing which is the word of God. Whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts-in/relies-on me, there will spring what gives true life, coming from inside him, like the springing of water.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “He who believes in me, there will be inside him as though water was springing up which gives the new life. Because thus says the Holy Book.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:7:
- Uma: “If we walk in the light, like God is in the light, we are in harmony with one another, and he cleans us from all our sins because of the blood of Yesus his Child who died to be our redeemer.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But if our (dual) dwelling is in the light as God is in the light, then we (incl.) all are of one liver, and because of the blood of Isa, the Son of God, all our (dual) sins are taken-away and we (dual) are now clean/holy.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If our way is bright just like God is bright, which is to say, if we have submitted ourselves to God, we have a close relationship to each other, and we are always being cleansed from any of our sins by means of our being annointed with the blood of Jesus, the Son of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But if however we remain where it is light/bright as God does, then our companionship with our fellow believers will be good and at-the-same-time all our sins will be being washed on-account-of the blood of Jesus his Child.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But if we are always living in harmony with the light/enlightenment, being far from sin, just like God, for as for him, he is really wholly in the light, our fellowship who are believers in him will really be good. And as for that blood of Jesus his Son which was shed (lit.caused to drip), it cleanses us, because it removes all our sins.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “If we live good, just as God does only good, then it is true that we are friends with each other. And all our sins are acquitted because of the blood shed by Jesus Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “God is like light because he does good. And if we also walk doing good, then our head-hearts are just one each of us with the other of us (in). Jesus Christ God’s son, died shed his blood to wash our head-hearts with all our evil.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “But it we are walking in the light, where God is, then the same-way we think, and the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, continually cleans us of all our sins.”
- Tzotzil: “If all of us walk along in sunlight like God is in the sunlight, therefore one we become for sure. God continually washes out all our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “If we walk in light, if as He Himself does we also do, we fellowship together. As we do that Jesus, God’s child, keeps on cleansing our sins with his blood.”
- Yanesha’: “But this, if we walk in the light thus like he, he is in the light, we are one, all of us. His blood of of his Son who is Jesus rubs (erases) from us all our sins.”
- Aguaruna: “But if we walk light-place, the same as he walked, we stay (reciprocally) content (happy) with others. We doing it like that, Jesus, God’s Son, his blood eradicates (erases, washes out), (for our benefit), our sin.” (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 2:29:
- Uma: “Kristus always follows God’s will. You know that, relatives. So you also know: all people who follow God’s will, they are-children of God [more literally, they are-related-as-child-to God].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You know that Almasi is straight/righteous therefore you know that whoever does the straight/righteous, he is God’s child.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) already know that Christ is righteous. We also know that anyone whose behavior is righteous, he has already become the child of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “You admittedly know that God is righteous, so you should also understand that all those who are doing what is good and right are children of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “You are well aware that God is really righteous. So therein you will be able to comprehend that as for those who do what is righteous in the sight of this God, they are the ones whom he regards as now being his children.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now you know that Jesus Christ lives completely good. Also it is necessary that you know that all who live good, these are God’s children.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “As you know that Christ walks straight (is righteous), likewise you know that all of us who walk straight are children of God.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know that God is entirely good. And likewise they whoever habitually do good, we know they are born anew of God, and are his children.”
- Tzotzil: “If we know that he is straight-hearted, thus we know also that we are his (God’s) children if all that we do is straight.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Jesus is the straight one-emphasis. If you know that, then you know this also: the person who lives straight is-in-the-state-of-having-become-a-child-by-means-of-God.”
- Yanesha’: “If you know that he, fitting completely whatever he does, you know also whoever does that which is fitting, already he is born from him.”
- Aguaruna: “You know Christ, the blameless one, ‘He is like that’ saying and this also you ought to know, ‘A person who words good, that one is a child of God.’ saying.
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:9:
- Uma: “Like this God showed/caused-to-appear his love to us: his only Child he ordered here to the earth, so that we could get life from that Child of his.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Like this God shows his love to us (dual): he sent to the world his only Son so that we (incl.) have life without end in heaven because of his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “God sent here His only Son to the world so that by means of Him we might come to our life without end. That was His showing His love to us (incl.).” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “And the way he showed his love for us, he sent his only Child to this earth so that we would have a way to get/benefit-from the life that has no end on account of him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Yes indeed, God has really shown the big-size of his valuing of us when he caused his one-and-only Son who is without equal to come down here to the world, to take the punishment for our sins, so that he could give us life which is without ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “It is apparent that God loves us because he sent his only Son here on earth so that we are able to encounter new life because of him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “He sent his only son to this earth, he paid for our guilt in order that he gave us eternal life. Therefore we know that God loves us.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “God showed us real (good) love, in that he sent here to the world his only Son, so that we will find new life in his Son.”
- Tzotzil: “God sent his Son here in the world. God only has one Son. He sent him in order that we live because of him. Thus God let us know that He loves us.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “God sent His Son, though only one, to the world. For us to live by means of Him He sent Him. By that we recognize God’s love.”
- Yanesha’: “This is how he caused to appear for us our Father his love, he sent his son, his only one, here to the earth, thus completely he causes us to live.”
- Aguaruna: “God caused love to be seen. His Son, his only one, he sent him to this world here, ‘Let them live always,’ 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 5:20:
- Uma: “What we know: God’s Child arrived in the world, and he made-clear [i.e., enlightened] our hearts so that we know God who is true. We are in harmony with that God who is true, for we are in harmony with Yesus Kristus his Child. He is the God who is true. From him we get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (incl.) know that God’s Son has come and has given us (incl.) understanding therefore we (incl.) know now the true God. And we (incl.) are really now one with the true God because we (dual) are one now with his Son, Isa Almasi. He is the true God and is the one giving everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) also know that the Son of God has come here to the world, and He has given to us (incl.) understanding so that we might be the friends of the true God. We (incl.) have become one with the true God, for we have become one with His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God; He is the source of life without end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Third, we know that God’s Child came to this earth and he has illuminated our minds so that we can know the true God. Therefore we have been joined to the true God for we have been joined to his Child who is Jesu Cristo. He is the true God just the same and the source of life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “And we really know that the Son of God came down here to us, and he has now given us the ability to understand, so that we will really recognize/know the true God. Today we are now in harmony with God because we are now united/tied-together with his Son Jesu-Cristo. The truth is, as for this Jesu-Cristo, he really is the true God who is the source of life which is without ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now we know that the Son of God has come here and given us understanding so that we know who was the true God. Now we walk with the true God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This one truly is God and he gives the new life forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “And we know that God’s son has come and has caused us to understand in order that we know the person who is truly God. And we are joined together with the person who is truly God in that we are joined together with Jesus Christ.The true God is Jesus Christ’s father and he gives eternal life.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we know that God’s Son really arrived in the world. And he caused us to know God, the true (who is really) God. And we live with the real God because we live with Jesus Christ. And he is truly God, He who gives us the new life of our hearts that will never end.”
- Tzotzil: “We know also that the Son of God came. Because he has given us the wisdom of our hearts therefore we have come to know the true God. We are in the presence of the true God because we are in the presence of his Son, that is Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He gives us our life forever.”
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Surely we know about God’s Son, the one who has arrived. God’s Son has given us understanding that we might recognize the one who is the true-one. We live with His Son Jesus Christ the true one. He is the very-true, very-God, the very life eternal.”
- Yanesha’: “We, we know that our Father, his Son came. He caused to arrive on us thus we know him who is completely true. We know also, that already we are one with him who is completely true, who is His Son who is Jesus Christ. This is the one who is our Father of a truth. This is that therein we are not in a mortal state, forever.”
- Aguaruna: “God’s child came to cause us to know, in order that we see (know) God. God is truth. We are (live) in him. We are (live) also in his Son Jesus Christ. He is truly God, the one who gives always live.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
- Garifuna: “We know that God’s offspring has come in the world. Then he caused us to know the genuine God. We are with (progressive) the genuine God, the one who is Jesus Christ God’s offspring. That God is the genuine one. Also he is the one who gives the life which does not end to us.” (Source for this and three above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
