The Greek in Matthew 22:11 that is translated as “who was not wearing a wedding robe” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “who was not using one of the festive garments that were freely available in the wardrobe.”
knowledge
The Greek that is translated as “knowledge” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as “theology” in these verses. The translators explain: “We have often translated the Greek word gnosis with ‘theology’ because it doesn’t refer to knowledge [Erkenntnis, also meaning ‘realization’] but to theological knowledge.”
See also wisdom.
the worlds
The Greek in Hebrews 11:3 that is translated as “the worlds” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Räume und Zeiten der Welt or “spaces and ages of the world.”
insulted him and shook their heads
The Greek that is translated as “(they) insulted him and shook their heads” in English is translated in Dobel with the culturally equivalent “(they) continuously bit their lips at him and abused him.”
In Nüpode Huitoto, “shake their heads” is translated with the cultural equivalent “stick out their chins” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.), in Chol with “spitting on the ground,” in Copainalá Zoque with “clapping the hands” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation, March 1965), p. 2ff.), and in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) as “showing their scorn” (“‘wagging their heads’ is understood as a nonverbal expression of frustration, grief, or even surprise — source: Wendland 1987, p. 110).
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) idiomatically with verzogen höhnisch das Gesicht und spotteten or “tauntingly grimaced at him and mocked him.”
Since the shaking of the heads as meaningless in Toposa, the translators chose to say “kept mocking him” (emphasis added), highlighting the continuous aspect. (Source: Schröder 2026, p. 101).
See also shake the head.
uneducated and ordinary men
The Greek in Acts 4:13 that is translated as “uneducated and ordinary men” or similar in English is translated in the following ways:
- Lalana Chinantec: “people who were not learned, humble people
- Morelos Nahuatl: “hadn’t studied a lot but were like anybody”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “had not studied long in school, truly ordinary people, that is not officials”
- Chuj: “they had never studied, they were plain people”
- Teutila Cuicatec: “were not from important families and didn’t know paper (= didn’t have education)”
- Totontepec Mixe: “they talked like people who plow” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Mairasi: “bees’ wax [i.e., ignorant], unschooled men” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “can neither read nor write nor have they have received any official schooling”
Festival of Booths was near
The Greek in John 7:2 that is translated as “the Festival of Booths was near” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as das Laubhüttenfest stand vor der Tür or “the Festival of Booths was just around the corner” (lit: “right in front of the door”). This idiomatic translation plays on semantic parallels between the “booths” and “doors.”
searches minds and hearts
The Greek in Revelation 2:23 that is translated as “searches minds and hearts” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) idiomatically as auf Herz und Nieren prüft or “assess the heart and the kidney (meaning: “assess every detail”).”
See also test the minds and hearts.