Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 11:16:
- Uma: “As for the twenty-four elders that sit on their seats in front of God, they prostrated themselves worshipping him,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Then the twenty four elders, those who sit on their thrones in the presence of God prostrated, praising God” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the twenty-four elders who sit before God fell down on their faces and worshipped God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “After-that the twenty four leaders who were seated before God, they knelt face-down and praised/worshipped him” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, what was done next by those twenty four elders sitting on their seats of those who have authority which are in the presence of God, they bowed down and worshipped him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now all the twenty-four who surround the sitting place of God stretched out on the ground to worship God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “Then the 24 Elders who sit on their royal thrones before God, threw themselves to the ground face down and worshiped God.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 166)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 4:3:
- Uma: “For there is something written in the Holy Book that speaks of Abraham like this: ‘Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God said he was straight in his sight.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “What does the holy-book say about Ibrahim? The holy-book says that Ibrahim believed God’s promise to him. And because of that belief of his he was forgiven and he was considered straight by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason we know this is because there is a written word of God which says, ‘Abraham believed in God, and because of this belief of His, God considered him to be righteous.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because there is a written word of God which says, ‘Abraham believed/obeyed what God said, so God counted him as righteous.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “It says in the Holy Book how it is that God cleared Abraham. It says: ‘Abraham believed that the word God said would happen. In that he believed, for that God cleared him.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “Thus what do the Writings say? They say, ‘Abraham believed God, and upon that believing, God viewed him as [being] righteous.'” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 112)
For the Old Testament quote, see Genesis 15:6.
Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 2:8:
- Uma: “God has lifted us from the punishment of our sins, just from his grace alone, because of our faith in Yesus. He lifted us, not from the goodness of our character. It is a free gift of God to us,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “For because of God’s love and mercy hep that is why you are saved when you trusted in Almasi. It is not because of your doings/works that you are saved but this is a love-gift from God to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For just because of His grace to us (incl.) He freed us from punishment when we believed. We were not freed by our own works,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because the mercy/grace of God is the reason that we were saved by-means-of our believing in Cristo. It was certainly not due to what we have done, but rather it was God’s gift.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Really this grace/mercy of God, that (emphatic) is the source of our having now been saved from his punishment of our sin, because of our trusting and believing/obeying Cristo. And even this trusting and believing/obeying, he gave (it) to us, it’s not as-might-be-said we who are the origin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “It was just God’s favor he gave us in that he saved us when we believed in Jesus Christ. We cannot say that there was any good we did in order that we were saved. Rather God alone wanted that he save us.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “It is the kind-heartedness of God that saved you upon believing. You were not saved because of the things that you yourselves did, not at all, but your salvation is a gift of God.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 126)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 23:3:
- Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“he revives my life.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
because of his name.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
- Chichewa interconfessional translation, 1999:
“He revives my life-force.
He leads me in a righteous path in accordance with the glory of his name.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 148f.)
- Chichewa poetic translation in the traditional ndakatulo genre to encourage oral and musical performances:
“My life he always revives it right there.
Along straight paths he leads me in them,
According to his well-known name — Chauta!” (Source: Ernst Wendland)
- Kupsabiny:
“He restores my strength,
and leads me along the right path for the sake of his name.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Adilabad Gondi:
“He (emph.) gives new strength to my life/soul.
According to his name, he leads me on righteous paths.” (Source: Adilabad Gondi Back Translation)
- Newari:
“He gives me new life,
For the sake of His name
He takes me along the path of righteousness.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon:
“You (sing.) strengthen me.
You (sing.) guide me in the right/proper path/road so-that you (sing.) will-be-honored.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Eastern Bru:
“When I feel sad or weak, then he comforts/encourages my heart to become strong again. And he gives/allows me to be straight good, because he has already promised that.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
- Laarim:
“he makes my spirit to be strong again.
He takes me to the ways which are right,
because of his names.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
- Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Anauburudisha moyo wangu,
ananiongoza katika njia nyofu,
ili liheshimiwe jina lake.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
- English:
“You renew my strength.
You guide me along the roads that are the right ones for me
in order that I can honor you.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 1:72:
- Noongar: “He said this, he would be merciful to our ancestors, and remember his sacred words, all the words he gave them.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Uma: “He really showed his love to our ancestors long ago. He made happen/fulfilled his holy promise.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “He said that he was merciful to our (incl.) ancestors and that he certainly would fulfill his holy covenant,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He said also that he would pity our ancestors and that he would not forget his promise to them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “He said also that he would fulfil what he told our ancestors concerning his mercy/favor and that he would not forget the valuable promise-he-made to them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “He promised that he would pity our ancestors and remember always his far from ordinary initiated-covenant with them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): Thus He truly had mercy upon our ancestors of old, and he remembered his holy covenant.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 154)
Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 11:17:
- Uma: “they said: ‘Oo Lord God, the Lord whose power surpasses all. You (sing.) were from the beginning and you (sing.) still are now. We say thank-you to [you] Lord, because you (sing.) used your (sing.) very big power, you (sing.) have begun to rule.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “and they said, ‘O, God, our (excl.) Lord. You are really powerful. You do not change since the beginning of time until now. We (excl.) really thank you because you have shown now your great power and you have begun your rule now on the earth.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and they said, ‘Our God and our Lord, You control everything. You were God long ago and You are today. We thank You because You have used Your great power, and You have begun to rule on the earth.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “saying, ‘Lord God who is all powerful who existed previously and so also now, we (excl.) thank you (sing.), because now you (sing.) have shown your (sing.) amazing power and you (sing.) have begun to rule.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “What they said was, ‘Praiseworthy God who has surpassing supernatural-power, from long ago you already existed, and until today there is no change in you. We(excl.) give thanks because you have shown your unending supernatural-power for you have now begun to reign.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “All together they said: ‘Thank you Lord. You are God who has all power. You live now and you have lived in the past days and you continue to live for the days which are coming. Thank you that now you have begun to rule.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “They said, ‘Lord God, the Almighty One, You who are present and who were always present, we praise you because you have manifested your great power, and you have begun to establish your kingship.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 166)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 4:5:
- Uma: “But our connection/relationship with God is not that. For it is not because of our behavior that God receives us. If we believe in God, even though we are wrong/guilty, he says we are straight in his sight just because of our faith in him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “If/when a person does good so that, he says/thinks, God will forgive his sin and God will consider him straight, he is really wrong/mistaken. For it is not because of our (dual) good deeds but because of our (dual) trusting God, the one who forgives sins, that we (incl.) are forgiven and considered straight by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And God’s considering us (incl.) righteous is not like that because it’s just His favor to us. The reason God considers us (incl.) to be righteous is not because we carried out what He told us to do, but rather only because we believed in Him who is able to make transgressors righteous.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But if a person doesn’t work-for his salvation but rather believes in God that he is the one who counts a sinner as righteous, his faith is the reason God counts him as righteous.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But God does not tell us that we must do work in order to clear our sins. Because he gives us the favor of clearing our sins. It is just that we believe what God says will happen.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Tzeltal: “But the one who believes in the one who sets free from their sins those who are sinners, it is now through his belief of heart that he will have his heart made straight, not through his good work which he has done.”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “But we receive freely as a favor that which God does for us, and God is able to say that our hearts are straight when we still lack of becoming entirely good in our hearts. Well then, we believe in God, and on account of our belief, God reckons up that our hearts are straight.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “But a person having believed, instead of depending on his/her works, God who views sinful people that they are not guilty, that person on believing [a syntactic, object front-shift], God views him/her that s/he is right[eous] in his eyes.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 112)
Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 4:7:
- Uma: “If you turn-over your nervousness to God, he will give you goodness that is beyond the thinking of mankind, with the result that your heart and thinking will be calm in your connection with Kristus Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then God will cause peace in your livers and in your thinking/minds because you belong to Isa. And this peace is unspeakable.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then there will be no trouble in your mind and breath, for by means of your being made one with Jesus Christ, God will give you a peaceful breath that other people cannot understand.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because if you do that, you will have the peace that God gives that people’s minds are not able to surpass, and that will be like a guard that watches-over your minds on-account-of your being joined to Cristo Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Of course if it’s like that, you will have peace/protection of mind/inner-being which really is far-from-ordinary, the big-size of its good-quality not being able to be grasped by the mind/thinking of man, because God is where it comes from. He will grace/give you that your mind/inner-being and mind/thinking will be peaceful/protected through your trust in and your being united/tied-together with Cristo Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “God will put peace in your hearts then. Concerning his putting peace in your hearts, it is the greatest in intensity, not like the peace which people talk about. No longer will your hearts be fearful when now you walk with Jesus Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “At that point the peace coming from God, which is going beyond all hum-an wisdom, it will keep well your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 164)
