The Greek in Mark 7:19 that is translated as “heart” and “stomach” in English is translated in Elhomwe as “heart” and “body.” In Elhomwe the plural form for “heart” is the same word as the Elhomwe word for “stomach.” To avoid confusion decided to translate “body” instead of “stomach.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In the English translation of Pakaluk (2019) is is translated as heart and gut.
The Greek that is translated with “moved with compassion (or: pity)” in English is translated as “to see someone with sorrow” in Piro, “to suffer with someone” in Huastec, or “one’s mind to be as it were out of one” in Balinese (source: Bratcher / Nida).
The English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019) uses “was keenly affected” in Mark 1:41.
The Greek πρασιαὶ πρασιαὶ (prasiai prasiai) that is typically not directly translated in English (the UBS Handbook says: prasia (only here in the N.T.) meant originally ‘a garden plot’; when used as here it means ‘in orderly groups,’ ‘in rows,’ ‘in ranks’) is translated as “looking like flower beds set side to side” by Pakaluk (2019) (the complete verse: And they sat down in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty, looking like flower beds set side to side).
Palaluk explains (p. 108f.): “These are fascinating lines [verses 39 and 40]. Mark uses two idioms that occur only here in recorded Greek literature: “dinner parties, side by side” and “looking like flower beds set side to side.” The phrase for the first is sumposia sumposia. A symposium is literally a drinking party, though we would say dinner party. The phrase for the second is prasiai prasiai. A prasia is a flower bed. Mark repeats each word so that the position of the words in the sentence, side by side, is like the position of the things represented by the words, side by side. It is very clever. But notice this. Jesus commands the disciples to seat everyone in groups like dinner parties. But in following the command, the disciples seat everyone in groups of fifty or one hundred, in rectangular formations. The first sentence records the Lord’s command; the second is Peter’s [Mark’s assumed source for the gospel] vivid description of how it looked after the fact. The contrast between the two expressions shows that Jesus would leave the details to the disciples’ discretion as they followed his command. The apostles are given scope to set down definite realizations of what the Lord intends.”
Wuest (1961) and Blakwelder (1980) offer similar translations. While Ruden (2021) does not, she explains in a footnote (p. 23): “To depict this unconventional feast, outdoor terms are whimsically combined with terms for an ordinary indoor social gathering. The arrangement of the diners here is literally ‘drinking parties drinking parties,’ ‘on the green greenery,’ and ‘garden plots garden plots.’ Two are expressions like the modern Greek plai plai for ‘side by side.'”
The Greek κύκλῳ (kuklo) that is typically translated in English as “about among” or similar is translated by the English translations of Ruden (2020) and Pakaluk (2019) as circuit (“he made a circuit through the villages”). Pakaluk (p. 102) comments: “We glimpse again Christ’s method. He liked to teach on the Sabbath in the synagogue. Perhaps he went to a new village each week, teaching there on the Sabbath, spending the following days healing the sick, visiting farming communities, going to isolated spots to pray, and instructing his disciples. After a couple of months, he could repeat the circuit to provide accountability and deeper instruction.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:8:
Uma: “Actually Yesus knew what was in their thoughts. That is why he said: ‘Why are your thoughts like that?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Immediately Isa knew what they were thinking and he said to them, ‘Why are you questioning like that in your liver?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus understood that that was what was in their minds, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking like that?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But Jesus knew nevertheless that that was in their minds, and he said, ‘Why are you thinking that?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But Jesus knew that which was in their minds. That’s why he said, ‘Why is like that in your minds?)” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Kim text for oral translation: “What is the easiest thing; it is that of saying to the paralysed: ‘Your sins have been forgiven’ or of saying ‘Get up, take your bed, go your going (go away)’?” (Source: Bayamy Tchande Awakde in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 23ff.)
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So Jesus — who knows immediately in his spirit that this is how they are thinking about themselves — says to them: ‘Why are you thinking those things?'”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:5:
Uma: “Many people went to the wilderness [empty field] wanting to hear Yohaness words. There were those from Yerusalem-town and from all the towns Yudea-land. They went to confess their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan river, a sign of their having repented from their sins.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then many people from the many-places there in Yahudiya and from Awrusalam went to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by Yahiya in the river/water Jordan.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The many people went after John. They came from the towns in all the province of Judea, and there were even people who came from the city of Jerusalem. And those people confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the river Jordan.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The inhabitants of Jerusalem and those-who-resided in all the towns in Judea were going to him. They were confessing their sins and then Juan would baptize them in the Jordan river.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “The people really-all went to him from the towns in the district of Judea, including the taga Jerusalem. They were repenting of their sins and having themselves baptized by Juan in the river Jordan, testifying that they would now drop/give-up sin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then all those of Judea land, all the Jerusalem people, they used to go to John. Then he washed them [‘wash’ does not eliminate immersion], at the Jordan stream, when they said: It is true. We have sinned.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “There the whole country of Judea and all the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem came out to meet Jokanan, and then they were baptized in the river Jarden, while they confessed their sins.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “And all the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem streamed out to John into the wilderness. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, and because this would have cleansed them, they were able to confess their sins and ask for forgiveness.”
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “And so the whole district of Judea, and residents of Jerusalem from every walk of life, came out to him. And they were baptized by him in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:39:
Uma: “From there, Yesus and his disciples went carrying the Word of God to all the towns in Galilea-land. He taught in the prayer houses and he expelled demons that had entered/possessed people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then Isa went to all the places in Jalil. He proclaimed in their prayer-houses and he cast-out demons from the people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus went to all the villages in the province of Galilee and preached in the churches of the Jews there, and he caused to go away the demons who were afflicting people.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Then they went-around to all-the-towns in Galilea preaching in their many-synagogues.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Without anything further, he went all over the whole of Galilea, teaching in the worship-places and driving out evil spirits.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Thus, everywhere in Galilee, he spoke-along the word in their small houses to praise God in, expelling demons all along.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “Then He went preaching in their places of worship. in all the territory of Galilea, and expelling demons.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So he went throughout the whole of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues there, and expelling devils.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:26:
Uma: “Yesus said: ‘Have you not read what King Daud did long ago when Abyatar was/became High Priest? When Daud and his friends were hungry and there was nothing for them to eat, he entered into the worship house and ate the bread that was offered/sacrificed to God, and he also distributed it to his companions. According to the customs of our religion, it is only priests who are allowed to eat that bread. But even so, this behavior of Daud was not considered-wrong. ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “He went hep into the house of God and he ate the bread that was placed there given to God. And/but it is forbidden hep by the law to eat that bread, (it is) only for the priests. And Da’ud also gave his companions. But he did not sin in doing that.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, David went into the House of God and they ate the food which was placed before God, and he let his companions eat it also. Abiathar was the high priest at that time. It was against the law to eat this food because the only ones who would eat that food were the priests.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He entered the house of God and he took the bread that was offered to God which the law forbids non priests from eating. But he ate it nonetheless and also shared it with his companions. This was done during the period-of-time that Abiatar was Highest Priest.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Isn’t it so that at the time when Abiatar was Most-important Priest, David entered their worship-place of God and ate the bread which is the thank-offering to God? The law says that only priests are able/acceptable to eat that, but David ate and gave those companions of his some too. But since they were-in-dire-straits, therefore they weren’t rebuked.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “How he entered into the house of God, in the presence of Abiathar, high priest, and he ate the loaves for the offering, which only priests are allowed to eat? He gave them also to the men who were with him.'”
