complete verse (Romans 11:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 11:28:

  • Uma: “At this time the Jews are enemies of God, because they refuse to believe in the Good News. From there you non-Jews ended up being blessed. But even so, those Jews are still loved by God, because he chose them from long ago and he always remembers his promise to their ancestors.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The Yahudi are the enemies of God now because they did not believe the good news. This not believing of theirs is (lit. goes-home mole’) for your good now. But from the beginning it was the Yahudi who were chosen by God in order to become his people. And God loves them yet because-of his promise to their ancestors.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now as for some of the Jews, they have become enemies of God because they would not believe the Good News. And because of this it was possible that you who were not Jews, were saved from punishment. But in spite of this, they are still precious in the breath of God because they are His chosen people, and because of His promise long ago to their ancestors.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As concerns the Jews’ rejection of the good news, they are counted as God’s enemies, and that leads to your benefit. But as concerns God’s choosing them, he still loves them on account of plural Abraham who were their ancestors.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The Jews who reject the good news become enemies of God. Therefore God sends the word to where live the people who are not Jews. But even so, God still loves the Jews. Because their ancestors are the chosen by God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Some of the Israelites are God’s enemies now since they don’t put their confidence in the teaching about Christ. But because of this, you who aren’t Israelites can put your confidence in Christ. But the Israelites are the ones that God first chose. And he really loves them because of the word that he agreed with our ancient fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 2:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 2:15:

  • Uma: “From that behavior of theirs we clearly know that there are commands from the Lord’s Law written in their heart. From their thinking also we know that there are laws in their heart, for they say in their hearts: ‘That action is wrong,’ or they say: ‘That action is good.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is seen by their deeds that they know in their livers as to what is said in the law of Musa. They know in their minds whether their deeds are good or bad. Sometimes they think that their deeds are bad and sometimes also they think that their deeds are good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “By means of their good works, we can tell that their breath teaches them what is commanded by the Law. They know in their minds what is good and what is bad to do. For there are times when they say that their behavior is good, and times when they say that it’s bad.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Thus they show by what they do that the commands of the law are stored/put-away in their minds. Their minds also confirm that that is true, because their minds are the very-thing that tells them whether what they are doing is good or bad.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “By how they live it is apparent that they know in their thoughts the good which the law says to do. They know whether it is good or not good what they do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

    • Central Mazahua: “Those who aren’t Jews, when they do good, it is seen that they know in their hearts what the law says. They know in their hearts when they do good, when they do bad. Their thoughts, sometimes they think, Why did I do bad? Sometimes they know that they did good.”

  • Hopi: “For he who walks that way shows that he has a law in his heart. And he knows quickly when he has sinned. And he knows when he has done right.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “In this way they show they already have the law in their hearts. All by themselves they realize what is right and their minds make them understand if they are erring or if they are doing right.”
  • Central Tarahumara: “And they thus show that they obey well a commandment which is written like there in their hearts. And they know well in their own hearts that they are thus ordered, because they are accused by their own thoughts when they do evil. And they are not thus accused when they do good.” (Source for this and two above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 9:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 9:20:

  • Uma: “Let’s not say things like that, relatives! It is not appropriate [lit., it doesn’t hit the road] if we mankind talk-back like that to God. Is it appropriate for a pot say to the person who made it like this: ‘What did you (sing.) make me like this for!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Don’t say that. Who are you (sing.) that you (sing.) talk-back-to/defy God and-what’s-more you are just human? Can the paliyuk (clay pot) say to the person who makes it, ‘Why do you (sing.) make me like this?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And what I say to that is: can we, his created beings, answer back to God? Can we who are just made, ask Him who made us, saying ‘why did you make me this way?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But what I reply is, you (sing.) who are a mere person, where perhaps do you (sing.) get your (sing.) authority to argue-with God? Can a pot perhaps say to the one who shaped it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I suppose that there is someone who wants to say to me: ‘How come then God says that the people have sin? Because no one can go against what God has determined’ they will say to me. Now we, being just people, who are we to say that we do not look well upon what God has determined? Take a pot, for instance, can it say to the maker of pots: ‘I do not look well upon the form in which you have made me’ it will say.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

    • Mezquital Otomi: “But I answer them: Who are you to stand up to God? Should the bowl made of hard clay complain to him who made it: Why did you make me this way?”
    Isthmus Zapotec: “But man, who are you that you shouldn’t be agreeable to what God does? As though a pot has the right to say to the one who made it: Why did you make me like this?!”
    Huehuetla Tepehua: “No, man, don’t talk like that. Who are you that you can talk back to God? A clay cup, can it say to a maker: Why did you make me like this?” (Source for this and two above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 16:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 16:27:

  • Uma: “He is the God who knows all, he has no second! Praise him in the name of Yesus Kristus forever. Amin.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “God is only one and he only is really wise (has deep knowledge). Because of Isa Almasi we (incl.) praise God forever. Amin. Wassalam” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for the only God who’s the one who knows everything, may He be praised forever by means of Jesus Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Only he is wise in everything. May he be praised forever because of Jesu Cristo. Amen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning God, only he has wisdom. And because of Jesus Christ God is praised forever. Amen.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Only God knows everything. Since we have confidence in Jesus Christ our chief, let’s make God great forever. Amen.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 3:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:27:

  • Uma: “So, there is no longer a way for us to make our hearts high [proud]. For God does not receive us because of our good behavior. He receives us because of our faith in the Lord Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then if it is like this, do we (dual) have something to boast about in the sight of God? Really there is nothing! For we (dual) are considered straight by God not because of our (dual) following the law but because of our (dual) trusting in Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore, there’s nothing that anyone can boast about. We cannot say that the reason we (incl.) are considered righteous by God is because we obeyed the Law, for the reason God accepts us is our faith in Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore it is absolutely impossible for us to boast of our righteousness, because God’s counting us as righteous was not on account of our obeying his law but rather because of our believing in Jesu Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “So now, where is the word of those who boast, saying that they have some good which they have done to clear their sins? There is nothing to be seen. Because that which saves our souls is not that we have done what is said in the law. Rather that which saves our souls is the faith we have.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Well, since this is what God has done for us, can anyone be proud of anything good that he has done? No. Well, why can’t he be proud of anything good that he has done? He can’t because God can’t see us as if we were straight even if we try to do what his law says. Only can he see us as if we were straight when we put our confidence in Jesus.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 10:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 10:20:

  • Uma: “After that, there is also the Word of God that is very clear, that was announced by the prophet Yesaya. God said like this: ‘The people who did not search for me, they are the ones who ended up finding me. And the people who did not ask who I was, I ended up telling them who I was.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then Nabi Isaya was also not afraid to speak, he said, ‘This is what God said, ‘The ones who did not look for me, they are the ones who found me. The ones who did not ask about me, they are the ones to whom I show myself.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And even more clean is the word of God which Isaiah was caused to preach long ago, for he said, ‘I was found by the people who were not looking for me, and even though that they were not asking about me, I caused them to understand who I was,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What God caused-Isaias -to-write about the Gentiles is even clearer. He says, ‘Those who weren’t looking for me, they are the ones who found me. Those who inquired nothing about me, they are the ones to-whom-I-appeared.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But Isaiah plainly said in what he wrote about the word God spoke, saying: ‘The people who did not seek me are the ones who found in their hearts (= understood) so as to know me. The people who did not ask about who I am, are the ones who met up with me’ said God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “And the ancient servant of God who was called Isaiah really wasn’t afraid (to speak). This is what he said: This is what God says, Those who didn’t hunt for me, they are the ones who found me. And those who didn’t ask about me, they are the ones that I have shown myself to.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

For the Old Testament quote, see Isaiah 6:51.

complete verse (Romans 1:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 1:9:

  • Uma: “I work with a whole heart, doing the work that God has given me, announcing the Good News that speaks of his Child. And God knows the contents of my heart, he knows how I always mention you in my prayers.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am always asking God for/on behalf of you (pl.). God knows that this saying of mine (what I am saying) is true. I work for him wholeheartedly (lit. my liver entirely), I proclaim the good news about his Son/Child.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because of God I will do as much as I can so that I might spread the Good News about His son. And He is the one who knows that I am always praying to Him for you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “This God whom I am serving with all my ability in preaching the good news concerning his Child, he knows that in all my prayer-times I am praying for you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And I put my heart into doing the work of God. I speak the good news about the Son of God. But God knows that when I pray to him I always mention you as I pray.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “I work for God with all my heart when I tell people about Christ. And he knows very well that I never don’t remember [I do remember] you when I talk to God.”
  • Hopi: “I continually ask God for you. God himself knows that I am telling the truth. He is the one for whom I work from my heart. For him I should tell the people the good word about his Son.”
  • Sayula Popoluca: “God knows that I always pray for you and I work with God with all my heart to go about telling God’s Son’s good news.” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Romans 6:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 6:14:

  • Uma: “For as for us, we are no longer controlled by sin. For we are no longer bound/tied to the Lord’ Law. Now we hope in the grace [lit., white insides] of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You (pl.) ought/must not be defeated by your sin, because God helps you because of his love and pity/mercy to you and the law has no longer authority over you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For it is no longer necessary that that which controls us are evil desires, because we are no longer trusting in obedience to the Law but rather, we are trusting the help and the favor of God to us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because (reassurance particle) sin will not again rule us, because now, the basis of our salvation is not our obedience to the law but rather God’s grace.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the sin which grabbed our hearts to rule us, now no longer will it rule us. The law which judged concerning our sins now no longer judges us. Because God by his grace saved us.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “Because it is not necessary that you do sin any more because the word of the law no longer orders you about, rather the word of favor orders you about.”
  • Central Tarahumara: “And evil deeds shall no longer have power over you, because you are no longer commanded like Moses’s writing commanded you. Only God lovingly commands you.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)