The Greek that is translated as “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Der Heilige Geist macht mutig, aber als bloße Menschen sind wir feige or “The Holy Spirit makes us courageous, but as mere humans we are cowards.”
The now commonly-used English idiom “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (meaning a person pretending to be harmless) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 281)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
The Greek in John 7:24 that is translated as “do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as urteilt doch bitte sachlich und gerecht or “judge factually and fairly (or: righteously)”.”
The Greek in Revelation 2:27 that is translated as “clay pots” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as irdenes Geschirr or “pottery dishes.” “Irden” can also mean “from earth.”
The Greek Mark 5:4 that is translated as “broke in pieces” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with durchscheuern or “fray (apart).”
The Greek in Mark 15:19 that is translated as “knelt down in homage to him” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Höhnisch beugten sie die Knie vor him, als wollten sie ihm huldigen or “They mockingly bent their knees before him as if to pay homage to him.”
The Greek in Luke 10:29 that is translated as “wanting to vindicate himself” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with wollte seine Frage ins rechte Licht rücken or “wanted to put his question into the right light.”
The Greek in Luke 22:51 that is translated as “he touched his ear and healed him” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with er hob das Ohr auf und machte den Sklaven wieder heil or “he picked up the ear and made the slave whole again.”
The Greek in Matthew 5:5 that is translated as “inherit the earth” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with ihnen gehört die Zukunft or “the future belongs to them.” The translators explain (p. 579): “Literally: ‘… they will possess the land;’ meaning: the Holy Land of Palestine. This is the what the promises mean to the fathers. However, as land ownership is increasingly spiritualized, this beatitude stands for promise and the future in general.”
Note that this phrase also appears in Enoch 1:25.
