Following are a number of back-translations of John 20:23:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “If you forgive the sins of someone, he is no longer guilty; and if you do not forgive the sin of a person, he is still guilty.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “Of all those whose sins you have forgiven, God says that their sins are forgiven. And of all whose sins you have not forgiven, they are not forgiven.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The people who repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are blotted out. But the people who do not repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are not blotted out.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “The ones whose sins you forgive, God will forgive them. If you do not forgive their sins, God will not forgive them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “If you forgive people their sins, God will also forgive their sins. If you do not forgive, God will also not forgive.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this when you forgive anyone who has sinned, God will also forgive him. And if you don’t forgive him, neither will God forgive him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “in order that whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are forgiven, God will already have-forgiven them. And whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are not forgiven, neither will God have-forgiven them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Through his putting it in your minds, whoever you tell that their sins are forgiven, it’s certain they truly are forgiven. But those you tell that they have not been forgiven, it’s certain they indeed haven’t been forgiven.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “To whom you forgive sin is that one whom God has forgiven. To whom you do not forgive their sin are those whom God has not forgiven.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:10:
- Uma: “He is the one who was-used-as-a-hand by God to create this world. But when he arrived in the world, the people in the world did not know him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But even though the Word is already here in the world and the world hep was created by him, the Word was not known/recognized by the people in the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now Christ arrived on the earth. By means of him the earth was created; but mankind did not recognize who he was.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But even though he was in this world and God created all that is here through him, people nevertheless didn’t recognize him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well he truly came, and he lived here on earth. But well, even though he was the one who created people, yet they didn’t recognize/acknowledge him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “This one, the Son of God, lived here on the earth. Even though he made the earth, the people didn’t know who he was.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Aguaruna: “He made the world. Having done that, he lived here in this world, but the ones from this world didn’t recognize him as Christ.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person who is the Word was present in the world; and even though he made the world, the people in the world didn’t realize who he was.”
- Lalana Chinantec: “He was living in the world but the people of the world never came to know who he was, even though he is the one who made the world.” (Source for this and two above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Hiligaynon: “He arrived here in the world. And even-though the world was made through him, the people of the world did- not -know/recognize him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Mairasi: “He Himself lived in this world, and He Himself made this world by Himself, but this world did not recognize Him.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Bariai: “He was living on earth. By him, God made everything on earth. Yet the people of the earth didn’t know him.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Kupsabiny: “That Word came to the world that was created through him, but the world didn’t know who he was.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:38:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: The one who believes in me will have like a spring in his heart. And much good water will come forth. Thus it is written in the Word of God.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “When one believes in me, it is as you might say, unfailing springs of water come up in his heart, according to the writings.”
- Aguaruna: “If you believe in me, in your heart, life will come bubbling out, like a stream coming out bubbles. God’s Word which has been written says it will be like that.”
- Shipibo-Conibo: “. . . Out of you (pl.) shall flow like a mountain stream, water by which to live.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “I will do like the Word of God which is written says, so that you who trust in me will love other people and you will help them to receive eternal life, like rivers cause the earth that is at the side of them to grow everything.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “Like is written in the Holy Book: whoever believes in me, from their hearts flows much living water.’ ["living water" in Uma means a spring, so this could mean "many springs" or "much spring water"]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Because it is written in the holy-book about the person who believes in me, the holy-book says, ‘Figuratively there will be waters/rivers springing/welling up from inside his liver, water which makes alive.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because,’ said Jesus, ‘according to the written word of God, if there is anyone who believes in me, from his breath will flow water which is able to give life forever.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written that says, ‘Whoever believes in me, there will be in him that which gives life which will be like water that flows-out from a spring continually.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Because this is the meaning of the word/speech contained in that writing which is the word of God. Whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts-in/relies-on me, there will spring what gives true life, coming from inside him, like the springing of water.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “He who believes in me, there will be inside him as though water was springing up which gives the new life. Because thus says the Holy Book.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:11:
- Uma: “Relatives whom I love! Since thus is the bigness of God’s love to us, that’s why we also must love one another.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “My beloved friends, if God’s love towards us (incl.) is great like this, na, then we (incl.) should also love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “My beloved brothers, since God’s great love for us (incl.) was like that, it is necessary that the love of each one of us (incl.) for his companion is also very big.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “My friends, since that’s what God did to love us, we also, we should love-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “My dear ones, well since like this is the big-size of God’s valuing of us, it’s necessary that we too value one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, if God did thus because he loves us, it is necessary that each of us love our fellow-believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “You whom I love, as God loves us, the same way we must love our fellows each of us the other.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “Loved-ones, in this way God loved us, to the limit (until he couldn’t). It wants for us also to love one another.”
- Tzotzil: “You that I love, because thus God loves us, therefore let us love one another also.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:23:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “John answered them, ‘I am as one who cries in the desert and says, ‘Put your thoughts right in order that you might hear the Lord when he comes.’ That is what God’s prophet who is called Isaiah was saying when he said, ‘Straighten the Lord’s road.'”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Then he said to them, ‘I am the person who speaks loudly in the unpopulated place. I say, ‘Change your hearts in order that you may obey the Lord when he comes.’ It is like Isaiah said, the person who spoke God’s word long ago.'” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “Yohanes answered them with the words of the prophet Yesaya long ago, he said: ‘I here [am], The person who calls in the wilderness: ‘The Lord is about to arrive. Prepare his road ahead-of-time for him!’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Yahiya answered the same as what Prophet Isaya wrote in the holy-book. Yahiya said, ‘I am a person calling loudly in the lonely place. I say: Make the way straight which God will soon pass by on.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then John answered, and his answer was like that which was written long ago by the prophet Isaiah. John said, ‘I am the prophesied person whose preaching can be heard in the land where no one lives. He said, ‘Straighten out the way the Lord will follow.’ ‘” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘I am the fulfillment of what Isaias prophesied that there would be someone shouting in a place with no inhabitants saying, ‘Prepare the path of the Lord so that it will be made-straight.’ ‘ said Juan.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “When Juan answered again, there was something he quoted which had been said by a prophet of long ago, who was Isaias, who said, ‘As for me, a likeness of me is a voice which can be heard in the wilderness place (lit.place where one could starve), and what it is saying is, ‘Improve/make-good the trail where the Lord/Chief will walk.”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “John said, ‘I am he about whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘There will be a person who will speak loudly in the wilds. He will say, Prepare because the Lord is going to come.’ ‘” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 14:2:
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “In my Father’s house are many rooms for people to live in. If there were not many rooms, I would not have told you there were many. But there are, so I am going to get them arranged for you to live in.”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “There where my Father is are many houses. If it wasn’t like that up in heaven, I would have told you that it wasn’t like that. I am going to fix up the houses that are going to be yours.”
- Aguaruna: “There is a lot of free space, able to be lived in, in my Father’s place. If that were not true I would not have told you it was! I am going in order to prepare your staying place.”
- Tsafiki: “Where my Father God lives are many houses to live in. It’s true. I’m not one who lies!”
- Navajo (Dinė): “Where my Father’s home is there are many houses. If it were not that way, would I have told you that it was? I am going there in order to prepare a place for you.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Where my Father God is like a large house with many rooms. I would have told you if there were not rooms for you. And now I will return to prepare rooms for each of you.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling-places. I go to prepare your dwelling-places for you. If it were not like that, I would have told you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “There in the place of my Father God, there are many dwellings. If this were not true I would not tell you this. I am going to prepare your dwellings.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There are many places which can be lived in where my Father lives. For if this were not true I would not have said to you a while ago that I go to prepare a place for you to live in.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because there are many dwelling-places for people -where my Father -is-staying in heaven, and I am going there to go prepare your dwelling-place. If this that I tell you were not true, would I tell it?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “In heaven where my Father lives, it’s a dwelling-place with lots of room. This is really true, and I’m going ahead now to do what will cause you to be able to live there. If it’s not true, of course I wouldn’t say it to you.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “There at my Father’s house there are many places to stay. If there weren’t resting places, I wouldn’t have told you this. But now I am going to prepare a place for you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:21:
- Uma: “People whose behavior is straight arrive in the light, so that their behavior is visible and so that it is clear that they follow the will of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But all who do the straight/righteous go into the light so that it is clearly seen that their doings are in accord with/follow the commands of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However he who obeys the true doctrine (religious belief), he, by contrast, will come to the light. And the reason he will come to the light is so that it might be known that by means of the power of God, he was able to perform righteously.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But those who follow the truth, they approach the light so that it will be clearly shown that God is the originating doer of the good they are doing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But the one who now lives in straightness/righteousness, there’s no longer anything holding him back from coming close to this light, so that his doing which is following/obeying the will of God may be apparent.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But those who live good go near to where the Son of God is. Because they want it to be known that they do the will of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “It is not that way with the people who obey the true word of God. They permit it to shine in their hearts because they want to act in such a way that people will realize that God is helping them with whatever they do.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 21:25:
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “If all that he did should be written, I am of the opinion that the books wouldn’t even all fit in the whole world here.”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: ” . . . If all of them, all things were all written, no doubt they wouldn’t be able to be contained in this world, the writings where it was written what Jesus did.”
- Aguaruna: “But writing each one, there wouldn’t be a place to put the paper here in this world.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “If all of them were written one by one, there would be an extremely great number of books.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “There are still many other [things] that Yesus did. If for example everything that he did was written in books, I think that even if the whole world were-used-to-store-them-in, they probably could not fit, because there would be very many books.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Isa has done very many other deeds that are not written. If they were all written in a holy-book, I figure all the holy-books that would have to be written would not fit here into the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus did many other things. If all of them were written down, even the whole world would not be big enough to hold the books that would be written.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “There are admittedly many more-things that Jesus did. If they were all to be written, even the entire world, it would perhaps not be-able-to-contain the many-books in which they were written.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “There are other and many more things which Jesus did. Supposing they were all written, I am sure that the whole world which is here under the heavens wouldn’t be able to contain the number of books in which they would be written.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Jesus did many other things which if I had written down on paper each one, I suppose the earth wouldn’t hold the books that I would have written.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
