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 went with Jesus to Bethany, and when we arrived people told him . . .”
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: “Peter remained outside the door. And I went out and talked to the woman who guarded the door, and she let Peter in because the high priest knew me.”
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: “Jesus came near, he took bread and gave to each of us . . .”
Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:20:
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Then the people said to him, ‘You are out of your mind. Who is looking for a way to kill you?'” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “The people said: ‘You (sing.) are crazy! Who wants to kill you (sing.)?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “The crowds of people answered, they said, ‘You are crazy. Who wants to kill you?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the people answered, ‘You are crazy because who wants to kill you?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘You (sing.) are demon-possessed! Who perhaps is intending to kill you (sing.)?’ they said in reply.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Those people said, ‘You’re really indwelt by an evil spirit! If it’s not that you’re indwelt, who is it who wants to kill you?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “The people said, ‘You are demon possessed. Who do you think wants to kill you?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:6:
- Uma: “If we say we are in harmony with God, and we walk in the darkness, we are lying and we do not follow the true teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore if we (dual) say that we (dual) are one with God but we (dual) still live/stay in darkness, that means we (dual) still do bad, we (dual) lie. By our (dual) words and our (dual) deeds it can be seen that we (dual) lie.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If we (incl.) say that we have a close relationship with God, but we (incl.) are still in the darkness, which is to say, our behavior is still bad, we are lying. We are lying by means of what we say and by means of what we do.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “So if we say that we are companioning-with him but however we remain in the darkness, we are lying, because what we are doing does not harmonize with what is true and correct which God wants.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “If we say, we are now having fellowship with him, but we are still living in darkness, for we are continuing to do sin, we are only lying. We are not living in harmony with the truth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “If we say that we are friends with God and we do not do what is right, then it is apparent that it is not true what we say and it is not true that we know how to do the good.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say that our head-hearts are just one with the head-heart of God but if we walk in darkness doing evil, we are just lying, we do not walk with (practice, speak) the truth.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we try to say that we think the same-way (with) Jesus, but if we continue walking in darkness, we’re lying and we don’t really have the same mind, because we don’t do what the true word says.”
- Tzotzil: “If we say, “God and I have become one (of one mind), if we are walking along in darkness, we are lying. We are just saying that we obey the truth.”(Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “If we say, ‘we fellowship with Him,’ yet in darkness we are walking, then we are surely lying saying that. Our manner of life is surely not completely according to what we know to be true.”
- Yanesha’: “Even though we should say, we, we are one with our Father, however if still we walk in the darkness, we are just deceiving. We have not learned (in sense of a practiced custom) thus it is put in truth.”
- Aguaruna: “If we say, ‘we live (stay) (reciprocally) content (happy) with God,’ but nevertheless (rather) if we walk in the darkness-place, lying we say it. If we do like that we are those who do not complete (obey) the true Word.” (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 2:28:
- Uma: “Continuing on, my children, remain in harmony with Kristus, so that when he comes back, we will be-brave/dare to face him, we won’t be afraid when he comes to us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Yes, my children-grandchildren, you ought to be one with Almasi so that at the day of his return here, we (incl.) will not be afraid and we (incl.) will not be ashamed to stand before him/in his presence.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of all this, my children, hold fast to your oneness with Christ so that you won’t be afraid and you won’t be ashamed in the future when He returns.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “So indeed my children, faithfully-persevere in believing in him so that you will thus have nothing-of-which-to-be-afraid and ashamed when he comes again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Therefore, my like children, hold fast to Jesu-Cristo, so that, at his returning here, we won’t hold back or be ashamed before him in his presence.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now, my children, only let Christ fill your hearts now in order that you will be brave when you see him, then you will not be ashamed when he comes.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “And now my little children, we must be constantly present with Jesus Christ in order that when he comes we will not be afraid and will not hide from him in shame when he comes again.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “And now, my children, habitually live with Christ so that we will be bold and not fear, and we won’t be ashamed at his face when he comes.”
- Tzotzil: “My children, once and for all stay in the presence of Jesus Christ because thus there will be the strength of our hear hearts when he comes, because thus we will not be ashamed in his presence when he comes.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Therefore, children whom I love, listen! Live (abide) with Christ. If you do that when Jesus arrives we will be at ease. When He arrives, we won’t, being ashamed, be agitated.”
- Yanesha’: “Now then, my little ones, be one with him. When he (Christ) comes back, he you will count on, you will not be ashamed in his presence when he comes.”
- Aguaruna: “My little children, live in Him, in order that, when he appears, you without being ashamed, may confidently stay (in reference to him).”
- Murui Huitoto: “Children, when He appears, in order for us not to be scared, now friend him. When He comes in order that we not be ashamed before Him, now friend Him.” (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 4:8:
- Uma: “People who don’t love others, they do not yet know God, for God, he is loving.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “He who does not love does not know God, because God really loves hep.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who has no love for his companions, know nothing at all about the actions of God, for every act of God is His showing His love.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But the one who has no love for his fellow, neither does he know God, for God is consistently-loving.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But the one who doesn’t value like this, that one doesn’t yet know/acknowledge God, because God really is the one who is the source of this valuing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “He who does not love his fellowman is not acquainted with God, because God loves all people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we do not love our fellows we are not yet acquainted with God, because we do not do like God does. God loves mankind.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “But he who has no love, doesn’t know God, because God is love (lover).”
- Tzotzil: “If we do not take on the character of a lover it is because we do not know God. Because God has the character of a lover (or God’s character is to habitually love).” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who doesn’t love, doesn’t come to know (learn) God. For God is one who loves.”
- Yanesha’: “Those who are not lovers do not know our Father how he is, because our Father, he is love.”
- Aguaruna: “But he who does not love, he doesn’t know ‘God is like that’ saying; because ‘God is one who really loves.’ saying, he doesn’t say it.” (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 5:19:
- Uma: “What we know: we here are-children of God, and this whole world is controlled by the King of Evil-ones.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (incl.) know that we (incl.) belong to God, but all the others in the world are under-the-power/in-the-hold of the leader of demons.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We (incl.) know that we are children of God, however, all of the enemies of God here on the earth, Satan controls them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Second, we know that even though Satanas rules all those who don’t believe, yet as for us, we are God’s children.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “We know that as for us, we are now children of God. But Satanas still is the one ruling here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now we know that we are God’s children. All the other people all over the world are in the hands of the devil.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “We know we are God’s children, but all the people whose heads are sitting (who are concerned) about just what is happening on this earth are under the feet of (ruled by) the deceiver.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we know that we are God’s children. But all the rest who live in the world are in the power (dominion) of the big-evil-one.”
- Tzotzil: “We know that we are in the hand of God. We know also that all the people are in the hand of the devil.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “We are of God. Surely we know this. The world belongs completely to the evil-one.”
- Yanesha’: “We, we know that we are of the category-lineage of our Father. But the people of the earth, his followers they are to him, the devil.”
- Aguaruna: “However this also we know: ‘We belong to God, but the devil commands all others here in this world.'” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
