complete verse (1 John 1:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 1:10:

  • Uma: “If we say we have not sinned, God we-call-a-liar, and we don’t take-to-heart his words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If we (dual) say that we (dual) have not done any sin, it is as if we (dual) say that God is lying/a liar and we (dual) don’t store his teachings in our (dual) livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, if we say that we have not sinned, it’s as if we are saying that God is a liar, and we have not obeyed His Word.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if however we say that we have not sinned, we turn-God -into a liar, and his words have not been stored in our minds.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “If we are saying that we are not doing sin, it’s like we are saying God is lying. If it’s like that, we haven’t yet comprehended his word.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But if we say that we have committed no sins, then we are calling God a liar. Then we are not at all believing God’s word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we say we have not done evil, we treat God like a liar and we do not walk with (obey) his word.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “If we falsely say that we haven’t sinned, but God said we are all sinners. So if we say we haven’t done sin, (it is) as though we are looking on God as a liar. And his Word hasn’t even a little entered our hearts then.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say, ‘I have never sinned,’ it is because we think wrongly that God lies. God’s word is not in our hearts for sure.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “If we say, ‘we never live bad,’ it is just as if we were setting him up as a liar. His word is not in us.”
  • Yanesha’: “If we say, I, I do not sin, we are doing toward him as though he were
    a deceiver. His word has not arrived on us in our hearts.”
  • Aguaruna: “‘I am not one who sins,’ if we say, ‘God is a liar’ saying we say it. If we say that, we do not believe (say ‘it is true.’) His Word.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:4:

  • Uma: “All people who do sins break God’s commands. For this is what is called sin, breaking God’s commands.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever sins, breaks God’s law, because if we (dual) sin we (dual) already break God’s law.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If someone sins, he has transgressed the Law of God, for behaviour which is called sin is any kind of behavior which is a transgression of the Law of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever sins, he has broken God’s law, because sin is breaking the law just the same.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for the one who does sin, he is fighting/breaking the laws of God. Because what is meant by sin is, fighting/breaking the laws of this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All who commit sin break God’s law. Because sin means that one breaks the law.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Each one of us if we (are accustomed to) do evil we do not receive from (obey) the law because the evil we are doing goes contrary to the law.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who does sin, he just disobeys what God says. When we disobey the law of God, it is sin.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we seek our sin, we break his commandments. When we break his commandments we sin.”
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “The one habitually lives bad is oblivious to God’s orders. What is (characteristically) sin? When one throws away God’s orders that is sin.”
  • Yanesha’: “All whoever sins, that one disobeys the words which are thus put (by God). If we disobey words which are thus put, that is sin.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who works sin, God’s word which is to be obeyed, he doesn’t obey it. A sinner is one who disobeys God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “Whoever sins, he doesn’t obey God’s law. Because when we sin, we don’t obey God’s law.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:12:

  • Uma: “There has not yet been one person who has seen God. But even so, if we love one another, God remains in harmony with us, and it is truly evident/knowable in our behavior that we love God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There is no person who has seen God. But if we (incl.) love each other, God is here in our (incl.) livers. Our (incl.) love to God is also increasing and will finally be complete if we (incl.) steadfastly/continually love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is no person who has even seen God, however, if we love each other, God lives here in us, and our love for God here in our breaths is drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because even though no person has seen God, but if we love-one-another, God remains in us and the love of God that has no lack/fault can be seen in our lives.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “From long ago, no-one has seen God. But if we now really value one another, it’s clear that this God is now really indwelling us, and he has now completed this valuing by us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “No one has seen God. But when we love each other, then we walk with God. And it is true that we love God then.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “There is no one who has seen God. But if we are loving our fellows each of us the other, God is constantly with us and we are loving him as we ought.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “No person has seen God. But if we continually love one another, God resides in our hearts then, and we really love (look well) on God.”
  • Tzotzil: “Even if no one has seen God, if we love one another, he is there in our hearts. Thus more we love God really and truly.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “No person has ever seen God. If we love each other then God’s love will be brought up to standard in us. He Himself abides (keeps living) in us.”
  • Yanesha’: “Our Father, no one has ever seen him. If we love one another, all of us, we are at one with him. His love fills us completely.”
  • Aguaruna: “None (no one) has seen God, but it we love others (one-another) God is (lives) in us. That being so like he loves we love.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (John 1:23)

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)

complete verse (John 14:2)

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 (DinÄ—): “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)

complete verse (1 John 2:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:12:

  • Uma: “Children, I write to you this letter, because your sins are forgiven because of the Lord Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I write to you my children-grandchildren, because your sins are already forgiven because of Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I write to you, my children, for your sins have been forgiven because of Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My children, I have written this to you because your sins have already been forgiven on-account-of Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I am writing to you who are like my children because your sins have now been forgiven, for Jesus took-the- punishment-for them on the cross.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, I write this word to you here in the letter because God has now forgiven your sins because of Jesus Christ who died on your account.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I am writing to you my little children because God has already forgiven us. He has forgiven us because Jesus Christ paid for our guilt.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “I’m writing to you, my dear children, because you know your sins have been forgiven, by what Christ did.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, because your sins are forgiven because of Jesus Christ, therefore I am talking to you by letter.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to you children. For God has cleansed your sins because of Jesus, for his sake.”
  • Yanesha’: “My little ones, your sins are forgiven because of Christ, that’s why I am writing to you.”
  • Aguaruna: “Children, I am writing to you because Jesus has eradicated, on your behalf, your sin.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (1 John 3:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:15:

  • Uma: “All people who hate their relatives, they are the same as killers [emphatic]. And you know, relatives, that murders do not get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever hates his fellow-man it is as if he has killed. And you know that a murderer has no everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who acts against his companions, God considers him to be like a murderer; and we (incl.) know that if there is a person who wants to murder, he has not yet come to own life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “For the one who hates his brother/cousin is like the murderer just the same, and we know of course that the murderer, he doesn’t have the life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because whoever ignores/spurns his sibling in believing, he is the same as a murderer of his fellowman. Isn’t it indeed so that you know already that, whoever is a murderer of his fellowman, he really doesn’t have life which is without ending?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Everyone who hates his brother is like as though he were a murderer. And you know that not one murderer meets up with the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Any of us if we hate our fellows, before God we are like murderers. And we know that no one who is like that has eternal life.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “He who hates his sibling is a murderer. And you know that there is no murderer who has (possesses) the new life.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we hate the brethren, we have already become killers. You know that whoever kills he has not received life forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Candoshi-Shapra: “One who hates his brother is a murderer (one who kills more than one). Surely you know that in him, that is in a murderer, eternal life does not dwell.”
  • Yanesha’: “All these who despise their countrymen, they are killers. You know that those who are killers, in their hearts does not stay life forever.”
  • Aguaruna: “He who hates his brother he is like a murderer, and all murderers, they will not live always, that we know.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)

complete verse (John 3:21)

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.)