childhood friend

The Greek in Acts 13:1 that is translated as “childhood friend” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Schulfreund or “friend from school.”

were overwhelmed with joy

The Greek in Matthew 2:10 that is translated as “were overwhelmed with joy” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with sie brachen in freudigen Jubel aus or “they burst into joyful jubilation.”

some slapped him

The Greek in Matthew 26:67 that is translated as “some slapped him” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with andere schlugen ihn von hinten or “others hit him from behind.”

sorcery

The Greek that is translated as “sorcery” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with the idiom Gift und Galle speien or “vent one’s rage (lit. “spew poison and bile”). The translators explain: “Literally: Poison their fellow human beings. Because of the context ‘to poison’ is interpreted with a metaphorical meaning.”

servant / minister

The Greek that is translated as “servant” or “minister” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Treuhänder or “trustee.”

wherever the corpse is there the vultures will gather

The Greek that is translated as “wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” or similar in English is translated in Mairasi a lot more specific as “if you see the mother of flocks of corpse-eating birds, Long-tailed Buzzard, Grey-faced Buzzard, White-breasted sea Eagle, or Brahminy Kite, then there is something dead and rotting, a dead person’s body, or a dead wilderness animal is over there.” (Aij ner nenem naa, tuao, iamba, sende fut namba in netomwan andani, orom umburu joet tan, nere neavo, sas warenar joetnyaa fovar atat.)

In Tangoa, a cultural substitute is used: “When you see the flying foxes flying to one location, you know that there is a ripe mango tree there” (Vara ko hite na karai la lo avu vano hin te jara, o pa levosahia vara te pahai mo mena atu.). A footnote explains in that translation that “when the last days come close, and people see all these things happening, they can be sure that it won’t be long before the Son of Man appears on the earth.” (Source: Ross McKerras)

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as “wherever there is carrion, the vultures will gather in the blink of an eye (blitzschnell).”

For Yakut neither eagles nor vultures are known, so the translation became “ravens,” which are known. In Chechen, the term chosen was “crows.” (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )

See also eagle / vulture.

bound him and put him in prison

The Greek in Mark 6:17 that is translated as “bound him and put him in prison” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with gefesselt in den Kerker werfen lassen or “had him thrown into the dungeon in shackles.”