The Greek in Matthew 5:48 that is translated as “be perfect” in English is rendered in Martu Wangka as “sit correctly.”
See also perfect.
character
The Greek in Romans 5:4 that is translated as “character” (or “experience”) in English is translated in the following ways:
- Pitjantjatjara: “we become with strength and don’t fall, and God seeing us is pleased” (source: Carl Gross)
- Hopi: “maturity”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “standing firm”
- Central Tarahumara: “being called as doers of good”
- Miahuatlán Zapotec: “showing people we really believe in Christ”
- Central Mazahua as “knowing that we passed well” (source for this and four above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Bariai “God is happy with us because we overcome/surpass various kinds of testings” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
See also complete verse (Romans 5:4).
crown of life
The Greek in James 1:12 that is translated in English as “crown of life” is translated in Navajo (Dinė) as “the life-way prize” (source: Nida 1964, p. 238) and in Owa as “the wage of your souls” (source: Carl Gross).
In Chichewa (interconfessional translation) translated as mphotho or “prize (of life)”. Ernst Wendland (1987, p. 120) explains: “A Chewa Chief might wear a special sea shell or bracelet as a sort of badge of office, but these would be magically endowed to give him super-natural protection against his enemies. Because of these underlying associations, such terms would not be appropriate here. Instead the word mphotho ‘prize,’ ‘reward’ (for achievement) has been used.”
See also complete verse (James 1:12) and crown of thorns.
genealogy
The Greek that is translated in English as “genealogies” is translated in Kwara’ae as “long stories about generations.” (Source: Carl Gross)
See also genealogy (Matthew 1:1).
became dazzling white
The Greek that is translated as “became dazzling white” in English is translated in Sa’a with “a specially-coined, but old word for what happened to Jesus at the transfiguration. It means ‘gloriously changed to be bright and shiny and totally unlike anything else at all.’ It is used only for Jesus’ transfiguration, and then, by extension, for what will happen to us at our resurrection. The word is ‘nu’e’ — an awful lot meaning packed into just four letters!”
See also snow (color).
abide in him and he in them (1 John 3:24)
The Greek in 1 John 3:24that is translated as “abide in him, and he in them” in many English versions is translated into Eastern Arrernte as “become one/united with God.”
no dealings
The phrase in John 4:9 that is translated in English translations as “for Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans” or similar is translated into Mono is translated as “It is taboo for you people to drink from our buckets.” (Source: Carl Gross)
In Telugu the more unspecific “have no dealings” rendering was used since even members of the same family do not use each other’s dishes. (Source: David Clark)
In Chitonga it is translated with the existing idiom “(Jews and Samaritans) do not step on each other’s toes” and in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) as “(do not) look one another in the eyes.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 130)
pastor
The term in Ephesians 4:11 that is rendered in English translation as “pastors” is translated into Mono as “those who look after the souls of people” to avoid a translation favoring any denomination.