Following are a number of back-translations of John 18:36:
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And Jesus answered him: ‘I do not rule here in this world. If it were that way, my men would have defended me when the Israelites took me prisoner. I do not rule here.'”
Ojitlán Chinantec: “So Jesus told Pilate, ‘I am a king, but not like the kings of the world people. If I were like the kings of the world people, my subjects would have fought to keep me from being delivered into the hands of the Jews. But the world people did not make me king.'”
Aguaruna: “When he said that, Jesus answering said, ‘This world here is not my ruling place. If I were a chief from here, my ruled ones would fight with the Jews, and by doing so would have kept them from seizing me, and bringing me to you. However, I am not from here.'” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “Yesus said: ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If for example I were really a king in this world, the people who follow me would definitely fight so that I not be arrested and given to the Yahudi rulers. But my kingdom is not from this world.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa answered, he said, ‘My kingdom is not here in the world. If my kingdom were here in the world my disciples/adherents would fight so that I would not be arrested by the leaders of the Yahudi. Yes, my kingdom is not here in this world.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, ‘My power to rule does not come from here on the earth. If it did come from here, my subjects would have fought so that the Jews might not arrest me. However, my power to rule does not come from here on the earth.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Jesus answered then and said, ‘My rulership, it is distinct from the rulers of this world. Because if I were a king in this world, my people would have quarreled/fought-with those who are Jews so that they wouldn’t have arrested-me. But the truth of it is, it isn’t this world that is the origin of my rulership.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied saying, ‘As for my kingship, it’s not like kingships here under the heavens. If supposing my kingship was like that, of course I would be stood-up-for by my men/personnel. Of course I wouldn’t so-easily have been handed over by these Judio. But well, the origin of my kingship is very different.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said, ‘Where I rule is not here on the earth. If it were here, I would have those who would fight in order that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But there where I rule isn’t here.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:15:
Uma: “There are people who can be compared to the seeds that fall on the road. They do hear God’s words, but the King of Evil-ones comes and makes-them-forget/distracts them, with the result that they no longer in-heart those words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “And the other people are figuratively like the way where the word/message of God spilled onto. When they hear the message, immediately the leader of demons goes there to grab the message from their minds.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That which is planted which fell on the path, that’s like people who hear th word of God, and Satan appeared and makes it so that they forget the word which they had heard.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The ones-that-fell on the path, they are compared to the people who hear (things)-concerning God’s ruling. Whereupon Satan goes immediately and he removes from their minds the words that they heard.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “What is meant by the pathway which got scattered on is the people who hear this teaching but then just forget it for it is quickly taken away by Satanas.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Mezquital Otomi: “The seeds that fell along the road are like people who hear God’s word, but right away Satan comes and causes them to forget the word which has been told to them.”
Tzotzil: “Just like the seed that falls on the road and is eaten by the birds, thus are some people who having heard the word of God, the devil comes and he takes out the word of God from their hearts.” (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 John 1:8:
Uma: “Yohanes, it was not he who was that light. The reason he came was to spread that light to all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Yahiya was not this light. But his mission/purpose for coming here was to tell about the light.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for this John, he is not the one who is that light, but rather he is the one who explains who the light is.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Juan was not the light itself, but rather the one who came to confirm/verify concerning the light.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It isn’t that he was the one who was the light. He was caused-to-be-a-person because he would be testifying about this light.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “John is not that one who opens the hearts of the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Ojitlán Chinantec: “John was not the one who illuminates people. He came to point out that one.”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “It wasn’t John who brought light, but rather he came speaking about the person who brings light for mankind.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Hiligaynon: “Juan was not the light, but-rather he came/arrived to tell who is the light.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “He himself was not that Light. But for the purpose of testifying about that Light he came.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “He wasn’t that light, but he came to expound talk about that light.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “John came and told the people concerning/about that light, but that light was not him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 6:65:
Ojitlán Chinantec: “And also Jesus told those learners, ‘So I have already told you that nobody can come to me if my Father has not permitted it.'”
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And he said, ‘For this reason I told you that no one can belong to me if my Father does not cause him to think that he will follow me.'”
Aguaruna: “This also Jesus said: ‘This is why I told you that only those given me by my Father will come to me.'”
Lalana Chinantec: “. . . unless the Father causes the person to follow.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “Yesus also said: ‘That is why I said earlier, not one person can come to me if they are not allowed by my Father.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “And he also said, ‘This is the reason why I said to you that nobody can follow me if my Father God is not the one giving him the desire (to do so).'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he continued speaking, and he said, ‘Because of this, I say to you that no one can follow me if he was not inspired by my Father God.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Then he went-on to say, ‘This is the reason I told you that no one is able-to-come to me to believe if my Father doesn’t permit it.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He added on more saying, ‘Well since there are those who don’t indeed believe-in/obey me, that’s why I said to you that there’s no one who can submit to me except he is shown-grace/mercy by the Father.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Then he said, ‘Therefore I have told you that no one is able to follow me unless the Father causes the person to follow.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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 Mark 8:35:
Uma: “Who[ever] hangs-on-to his own desires, he won’t get good life. But who[ever] releases his own desires because he is following me and because of the Good News, even if it means his death, he is the one who will get good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For,’ said Isa, ‘if a person cherishes his life, he has no everlasting life. But if a person does not cherish his life and submits yet to die because of his persevering in following me and proclaiming the good news, na, that person has everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if there is a person who sets his heart on his life, he will die just the same. But if there is a person who follows me and spreads the good news even though it leads to his death, God will give him back his life and he will no longer die again forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because the one who esteems/considers-important himself, he will die just the same, but the one who dies on account of his faith in me and his preaching of the good news, there is life that has no end that God will give to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For the one who really values his life, it will indeed be lost to him. But the one who holds-fast to me and the spreading of the Good News even though it may cause his life/breath to be severed, life which is far-from-ordinary will really be his.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Whoever restrains himself, whoever will not let himself do (that is, protects himself) for my sake, his soul will go to ruin; and whoever with all his heart offers himself, who does not pity himself for my sake and for the good word’s sake, his soul will go to be saved.”
Ocotlán Zapotec: “He who does not want to die for me, will die, but he who loses his life for me and for the words of the gospel will live forever, will be saved.” (Source for this and above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:20:
Yatzachi Zapotec: “He said to them clearly, ‘I am not the Christ, the person whom God is to send to help the nation of us Israelites.'”
Ojitlán Chinantec: “He said, ‘I am not the Christ, the chosen of God for a particular task.’ John showed the truth. He did not speak lies.”
Huehuetla Tepehua: “Well he admitted the truth. He immediately made it plain to them that he wasn’t Christ whom it was said God would send.”
Mezquital Otomi: “. . . I am not the Christ, whom God chose.”
Alekano: “Then not denying it, revealing it, he told them this: ‘I am not the Christ.'”
Chol: “John did not keep it a secret . . . ” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “Yohanes answered them plainly, he said to them: ‘I am not the Redeemer King.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Yahiya did not hide (anything) instead really confessed/spoke the truth, he said, ‘I am not the Almasi.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this is what John said because he did not hide it. He said, ‘As for me, I am not the one chosen by God to rule.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Juan didn’t deny the truth of it but rather he admitted saying, ‘I am not the Messiah.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He really didn’t make-claims for himself but on the contrary he told the truth, saying, ‘It’s not I who am the Cristo who is that promised Savior King.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “John straightly spoke. He said, ‘I am not the Christ whom God appointed to rule.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:43:
Ojitlán Chinantec: “For greater was their desire for the greatness among men than for God to make them great.”
Aguaruna: “They thought more about what people said, ignoring what God said.”
Shipibo-Conibo: “They wanted only a little for God to praise them. They really wanted people to praise them.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “Because their desire, they wanted to be praised by their fellow companions, they did not consider/pay attention to praise that is from God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For they were yet happy when mankind/humans were pleased with them over when God was pleased with them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason they didn’t say anything is because they liked better people’s praise of them, not God’s praise of them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because what they valued was their companions’ honoring/praising them more than God’s honoring/praising.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “They still wanted their fellow men to be pleased with them, not indeed that God would be the one to be pleased with them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “They thought it better to have the people look favorably on them than to have God tell them, ‘It is good what you do.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
