seal with the promised Holy Spirit

The Greek that is translated as “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” in English is translated in Northwestern Dinka as “You were branded in the heart by the Holy Spirit who was promised.”

Nida (1952, p. 54) tells this story: “The Northwestern Dinkas do not employ seals to indicate ownership nor do they confirm an agreement by using sealing wax and a signet ring, but they do mark ownership of their cattle by branding them. When speaking of the Christian’s relationship to God, it is not enough to use the words ‘to brand,’ but this phrase has been expanded and enriched by the words ‘in the heart’.”

In Alekano it is translated as “(God) having bestowed his spirit on you, you have become accompanied with God’s ownership-mark.” (Source: Larson 1998, p. 134)

In Gumatj, the concept of a “seal” (or “letter”) is unknown so the translation team used an expression that relates to a traditional custom. When a man is planning to build a dugout canoe, he goes into the forest and looks for a tree that is particularly well suited for that task. He then marks the tree with his knife to claim it for his use. That term for marking the tree was used in the translation for “seal.” (Source: Holzhausen 1991, p. 44f.)

justified by his blood

The Greek that is translated in English as “justified by his blood” or similar is translated in Wik-Mungkan with the expression chaapar theetath. The verbatim translation of that expression is “to give one’s blood for someone,” and it refers to a custom (that is presently not practiced anymore) where the father of a woman whose hand was asked for in marriage would stab the groom-to-be in the thigh with a spear. Once the father would see the blood running down the leg of the man he would be satisfied that since the man had given his blood he could now marry the daughter. (Source: Chris Kilham in Holzhausen 1991, p. 49)

desert, wilderness

Click here to view graphically

The Greek that is translated as “desert” or “wilderness” in English is translated in a number of ways:

Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

See also wilderness and desolate wilderness.

demon

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated/transliterated in English as “demon” is translated in Central Mazahua as “the evil spirit(s) of the devil” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).

In Sissala it is translated with kaŋtɔŋ, which traditionally referred to “either a spirit of natural phenomena such as trees, rivers, stones, etc., or the spirit of a deceased person that has not been taken into the realm of the dead. Kaŋtɔŋ can be good or evil. Evil kaŋtɔŋ can bring much harm to people and are feared accordingly. A kaŋtɔŋ can also dwell in a person living on this earth. A person possessed by kaŋtɔŋ does not behave normally.” (Source: Regina Blass in Holzhausen 1991, p. 48f.)

In Umiray Dumaget Agta it is translated as hayup or “creature, animal, general term for any non-human creature, whether natural or supernatural.” Thomas Headland (in: Notes on Translation, September 1971, p. 17ff.) explains some more: “There are several types of supernatural creatures, or spirit beings which are designated by the generic term hayup. Just as we have several terms in English for various spirit beings (elves, fairies, goblins, demons, imps, pixies) so have the Dumagats. And just as you will find vast disagreement and vagueness among English informants as to the differences between pixies and imps, etc., so you will find that no two Dumagats will agree as to the form and function of their different spirit beings.” This term can also be used in a verb form: hayupen: “creatured” or “to be killed, made sick, or crazy by a spirit.

In Yala it is translated as yapri̍ija ɔdwɔ̄bi̍ or “bad Yaprija.” Yaprijas are traditional spirits that have a range presumed activities including giving or withholding gifts, giving and protecting children, causing death and disease and rewarding good behavior. (Source: Eugene Bunkowske in Notes on Translation 78/1980, p. 36ff.)

In Lamnso’ it is translated as aànyùyi jívirì: “lesser gods who disturb, bother, pester, or confuse a person.” (Source: Fanwong 2013, p. 93)

In Paasaal it is translated as gyɩŋbɔmɔ, “beings that are in the wild and can only be seen when they choose to reveal themselves to certain people. They can ‘capture’ humans and keep them in hiding while they train the person in herbalism and divination. After the training period, which can range from a week to many years, the ‘captured’ individual is released to go back into society as a healer and a diviner. The gyɩŋbɔmɔ can also be evil, striking humans with mental diseases and causing individuals to get lost in the wild. The Pasaale worldview about demons is like that of others of the language groups in the area, including the Northern Dagara [who use kɔ̃tɔmɛ with a similar meaning].” (Source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)

See also devil and formal pronoun: demons or Satan addressing Jesus.

snake

In Kuy culture, snakes are eaten, so here the Kuy translation says the equivalent of “a yellow snake” as these are taboo (source: David Clark). For the same reason, the term used in Barasana-Eduria is “eel” since eels are detested among the speakers (source: Larry Clark in Holzhausen 1991, p. 45).

See also serpent.

right hand of

The Greek and Hebrew that is typically translated as “(to the) right hand of” is often translated much more descriptively in other languages. In Yakan it is translated as “at the right side, here in the greatest/most important/most honored place/seat,” in Mezquital Otomi as “the right hand, at the place of honor,” in Chuj as “exalted at the right hand,” in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “in a high place there at the right,” in Lalana Chinantec as “make great,” in Isthmus Mixe as “given great authority,” in Morelos Nahuatl as “placed big” or “heart-strengthens me,” in Isthmus Mixe as “stays with me,” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August, 1966, p. 86ff), and in Teutila Cuicatec as “in all authority at the right side” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).

In Lamnso’, the seat on the right-hand side signifies that the person seated there would have a higher position than the one to his left (vs. just being a seat of honor). To circumvent any misunderstanding of the biblical text, the translation here refers to the “highest seat next to God.” (Source: Karl Grebe in Holzhausen 1991, p. 52)

For Old Testament examples of blessing and power associated with God’s right hand, see Gen 48:14, 48:17, Exodus 15:6, 15:12, Psalm 48:10, 80:15, 80:17, 89:13.

complete verse (Matthew 9:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 9:15:

  • Uma: “Yesus answered them with this parable, he said to them: ‘People at a wedding feast definitely are happy together with the groom, they do not fast while the groom is still with them. But the time will come when the groom is taken from among them. At that time, only then will they fast.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered them in a parable. He compared his disciples to people at a wedding. He said, ‘Are the people at a wedding sad/troubled as long as the bridegroom is still there with them? No. But in the future when the bridegroom has been caused to leave then they will fast.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus answered, ‘If there is a wedding, it cannot be that the companions of the bridegroom will not join in the festivities while the bridegroom is still with them. But at the time when the bridegroom leaves them, they will abstain from eating. In the same way also, while I am still here with them, they will not abstain from eating.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus answered parabling, ‘If someone has-a-wedding, do you think do-you-suppose that the groom’s (lit. one-marrying) friends whom he invited ought to be sad? But when the time arrives that the bridegroom will be taken-away from them, that’s the time-when-they -will-fast.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied saying, ‘Is it possible/acceptable for the ones invited to a wedding to be sad as long as the man whose marriage is being celebrated is with them? Surely not. Well it’s like that too with these disciples of mine. But the day will come when I will be separated from them. And then they will fast.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said to those who were speaking to him: ‘People who have been called to view the marriage are not sad and fasting while the bridegroom is right there with them. Like that, my learners also do not fast while I am with them. But there is coming the day when my enemies will take me away. Of course on that day they will have reason to fast.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Ebira: “Jesus said to them: ‘Can the people (the relatives and friends of) a man, who is in the process of getting a wife, mourn while the husband is with them? They cannot fast when the husband of the girl is with them.'” (Ebira does not have formal terms for “wedding,” “groom,” and “bride”) (Source: Hans-Jürgen Scholz in Holzhausen 1991, p. 34)

complete verse (Mark 2:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:19:

  • Uma: “Yesus answered them with this parable [lit., example words], he said to them: ‘As for people at a wedding feast, do they fast while accompanying the bridegroom? Of course not. While the bridegroom is still with them they do not fast.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered them in a parable. He compared his disciples to people at a wedding. He said, ‘Can the people at a wedding fast as long as the bridegroom is still there with them? No. As long as the bridegroom is still there with them they cannot fast.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus answered parabling, ‘If someone has-a-wedding-ceremony, do you think do-you-suppose (rhet. question) that the friends of the man-getting-married will not join-in-eating, whom he invited? They will certainly eat, because it is unseemly if they fast and the man-getting-married is still with them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, saying, ‘Can the people fast who have been invited to a marriage-feast as long as that man whose marriage is being celebrated is still with them? Of course not.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Ebira: “Jesus said to them: ‘Can the people (the relatives and friends of) a man, who is in the process of getting a wife, fast while the husband is with them? They cannot fast when the husband of the girl is with them.'” (Ebira does not have formal terms for “wedding,” “groom,” and “bride”) (Source: Hans-Jürgen Scholz in Holzhausen 1991, p. 34)
  • Peñoles Mixtec: “Is it fitting that people who are at a wedding feast, that they won’t eat anything? No! They will eat a lot, because they are rejoicing with their friend who is going to marry his wife.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)