tempted by Satan

The Greek that is translated as “tempted by Satan (or: the devil)” in most English translations is translated in Tlahuitoltepec Mixe as “and the devil was wanting to cause him to sin, and not once did Jesus obey.” An addition was necessary to indicate that the devil’s desire was frustrated. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

See also tempt.

greatest of all shrubs

The Greek that is translated as “the greatest of all shrubs” or similar in English is translated in Chuj as “larger than all the plants we plant each year,” and in Shuar as “larger than all weeds” (Some “weeds” grow to over ten feet.) (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

leprosy, leprous

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The Greek and Hebrew terms that are often translated as “leprosy (or: defiling/skin disease)” or “leprous (person)” in English is translated in Mairasi as “the bad sickness,” since “leprosy is very common in the Mairasi area” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

Following are various other translations:

  • Shilluk: “disease of animals”
  • San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “devil sore” (this and the above are indigenous expressions)
  • Inupiaq: “decaying sores”
  • Kaqchikel: “skin-rotting disease” (source for this and three above: Eugene Nida in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 34f. )
  • Noongar: “bad skin disease” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Usila Chinantec “sickness like mal de pinta” (a skin disease involving discoloration by loss of pigment and that also involved social isolation) (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Hiligaynon: “dangerous skin disease” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “fearful skin disease” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “terrible rotting” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Newari: “infectious skin disease” (source: Newari Back Translation)

Targumim (or: Targums) are translations of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic. They were translated and used when Jewish congregations increasingly could not understand the biblical Hebrew anymore. Targum Onqelos (also: Onkelos) is the name of the Aramaic translation of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) probably composed in Israel/Palestine in the 1st or 2nd century CE and later edited in Babylon in the 4th or 5th century, making it reflect Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. It is the most famous Aramaic translation and was widely used throughout the Jewish communities. In Leviticus 13 and 14 it translates tzaraat as a “quarantining affliction” — focusing “on what occurs to individuals after they suffer the affliction; the person is isolated from the community.” (Source: Israel Drazin in this article ). Similarly, the English Jewish Orthodox ArtScroll Tanach translation (publ. 2011) transliterates it as tzaraat affliction.

See also stricken and leprosy healed.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Leprosy (Word Study) and Bible Translations Are for People .

offer

The Greek that is translated in English as “offer” in these verses is translated in Jalapa De Díaz Mazatec as “take an animal offering,” since otherwise it would be understood as a money offering. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

have salt in yourselves

The Greek in Mark 9:50 that is translated as “have salt in yourselves” in English is translated in Western Highland Chatino as “guard yourselves, as meat is preserved with salt.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

woke up

The Greek in Mark 4:39 that is translated in English as “woke up” or similar is translated in Seri as “got up” to avoid confusion since it was already mentioned in verse 38. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

I will strike the shepherd

The Greek in Mark 14:27 that is translated as “I will strike the shepherd” or similar in English is translated in San Mateo Del Mar Huave as “I will give room for the shepherd to be killed” and in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “It is written that which God said was going to happen to me: I am going to allow them to kill the shepherd.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)