The Greek and Hebrew that is often translated into English as “(the two) shall become one flesh” is translated as “become just one” in Copainalá Zoque and San Mateo del Mar Huave or with existing idiomatic equivalents such as “become one blood” in Mitla Zapotec, “become the complement of each other’s spirit” in Tzeltal (source for this and above Bratcher / Nida), “become one body” in Uab Meto (source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 208ff. ), “tie with wife as one, so that they tie one insides” in Luang (source: Kathy and Mark Taber in Kroneman [2004], p. 539), or “become like one body-entity” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
In Tataltepec Chatino it is translated as “the two shall accompany each other so that they no longer seem two but are like one person,” in Choapan Zapotec as “when the man and woman live together in front of God, it is as if just one person,” and in Mezquital Otomi as “they aren’t two, it is as though they are one.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated with bilden eine neue Sippe or “form a new clan.” They explain (p. 417): “Usually ‘become one flesh.’ This is clearly not correct from a biological point of view. In the Old Testament, ‘flesh’ in such contexts means: ‘kinship, clan, family.’ So the idea is that the man gives up his clan and forms a new clan together with the married woman.”
Alekano: “if unworthy I should even carry his burden, it would not be right”
Tenango Otomi: “I don’t compare with him” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Ayutla Mixtec: “I am too unworthy to perform even the lowliest of tasks for him” (“to avoid the wrong meaning of playing a trick by tying the sandals”)
Choapan Zapotec “I am not even important to carry his pack” (source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Mairasi: “loosening the strap of His foot thing as His slave would do” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “untie the string of his shoe, because he surpasses me very much” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “He is greater than I. I don’t compare with him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with auf Knien die Riemen seiner Sandalen zu lösen or “to loosen the straps of his sandals on my knees.”
The Greek that is translated as “in the house” in English is translated in El Nayar Cora as “in his house” and in Choapan Zapotec as “the house that they entered when they first came to Capernaum.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” or similar in English is translated in Tzotzil as “If anyone wants to be thought of as the most important, let him humble himself, let him help all people,” in Chuj as “If there is one man wants to lift up himself among you, he must make himself lowly before you. He must enter as the servant of you all, he said,” and in Choapan Zapotec as “If a person wants to command his fellow-men, he must consider himself to be as a person who has no authority, let him work without pay for anyone.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “dug a pit for the wine press” or similar in English is translated in Choapan Zapotec as “positioned a flat rock where he could squeeze out grape juice.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 19:30:
Uma: “But many people who are important [lit., whose lives are big] at this time will become unimportant [lit., their lives are small] in the future. And many also the people who are unimportant [lit., small their lives] at this time will become important [lit., big their lives] in the future.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But many who are first now will be last in the future, and many who are last now will be first in the future.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But many are the people today who seem to be big in rank, but their rank will be very small in the future. And many also are the people today who are very low in rank but in the future they will be very high in rank,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But many who are high/great now will be made-low/humble, and also many who are low/humble now will be made-high/great.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But it’s true that many are important today in man’s opinion who will become low-class/insignificant when that day comes. And many are only low-class/insignificant today in man’s opinion, but they will become important in the kingdom of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Many people are respected here, but on that day very little will they be respected. Many people are not respected here, but on that day they will be respected.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Choapan Zapotec: “Some people rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will no longer rule. Some people don’t rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will rule.”
Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Many whom people think are important, desirable, God is going to make small, and he will better cause to come out pretty those whom people think are not important or desirable.” (Source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 23:6:
Uma: “They are happy to be made to sit in the honored seats in the houses of prayer.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When they are at feasts, they want to sit in the most honored place/seat. In the prayer-house they want to sit in the places of the honored people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What they want is that they will be greatly honored when they attend gatherings. And when they are in the worship place, they want that they’ll be the ones asked to sit in the seats where the people high in rank sit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When they go to join-in-eating, they choose the important people to sit-with, and they also choose the best seats in the synagogue.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Their favorite seats at feasts are the seats where important people are seated. It’s like that too in the worship-place.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “There where people have feasts and also in the church they hunt out the chairs which are good and sit there.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Choapan Zapotec: “Also they want to sit where the respected people sit in the synagogue. Also when there is a fiesta, they want to eat first.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:22:
Uma: “So also there is no person who pours new wine into an old container. Because when it ferments that old container will just break, with the result that the wine is spilled, and the container is wasted. So new wine must be put into a container that is also new.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa also compared his teaching with new grape juice that is filled into bags of goat hide. He said, ‘Nobody puts new grape juice that is still bubbling/fermenting, into an old bag. For if he does that, the bag will be split by the grape juice. Then the grape juice spills and the bag is destroyed. Instead new grape juice should be put into new bags.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The same way with wine which has just been made and put into goatskin containers. You cannot put it into old containers because the container will burst and the wine will pour out and the container will also be ruined. It is necessary for wine which has just been made to be put into new containers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Nor does anyone of-course put recently-yeasted grape juice in a dried-up leather bag, because when it ferments, the leather will crack-open and the bag will be ruined while-simultaneously the grape juice will also be thrown-away. Recently-yeasted grape juice then, it must be new leather in which it is placed.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well, no-one also puts new drink into an already old container made of skin which no longer gives. For if like that is done, when the drink ferments/matures, of course it will cause that container to burst. Well, isn’t is so that the drink and the container will be wasted. What is good to put new into is new also, not old.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Chuj: 2Also no one puts new wine, wine which is still in the process of expanding, into on old animal-skin wine container. That skin will rip, because the wine is still in the process of expanding. Then that wine will spill out, and the skin will be torn apart because of it. But new wine is put into new skin only.”
Choapan Zapotec: “No one pours new liquor into cracked bottles. If people pour it into cracked bottles, its heat will break them. Both will be destroyed. It is necessary for people to pour new liquor into good bottles, and not into old, cracked bottles.” (Source for this and above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
