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 1:13:
Uma: “Forty days he was there. While he was in that field, the King of Evil-ones tempted him. Wild animals were with him, and angels took care of him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Forty days (and nights) he was tempted there by the leader of demons. There were also forest animals there but Isa was cared for by the angels.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus stayed there for forty days, and Satan tested him to see if he might sin. And there were also there harmful beasts, but the angels of God came to Jesus and took care of him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He stayed there for forty days while-simultaneously also Satanas (Satan) tried-repeatedly to tempt him. There were also fierce animals where he was, but (reassurance particle) there were angels who were helping him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Forty days was how long he was there. He was tempted/tested by Satanas as to whether he could-be-caused- by him -to-fall (into sin, fig.). There in that place there were wild animals, but Jesus was being served by angels.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Bariai: “He stayed in that area for a duration of forty days, and Satan was testing him. He was living with the wild animals, and anggelos came and helped him.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “He stayed there for forty days without anything he was eating. Satan tempted him while he was there. When Satan had left, (the) angels of God came and helped him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “There at-this-place where there were no other people the Headman-of-the-malevolent-spirits regularly tempted him, there were wild jungle-meat around him, and angels whom Great Above One sent regularly cared for him. He stayed there until finally two complete persons [40 = 2 people = 40 fingers & toes] days.” [For the counting system, see body part tally systems.] (Source Enggavoter 2004)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then he was where no house is, forty days. While there, Satan wanted to make him do evil. He was also among biting things. Then the word bringers made him eat.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “Forty nights long He was in the barren field, tempted by Sang [‘Sang’ is a personal article that is often attached to the names of persons or powers that are characteristic of the normal, human, every-day world] Satan. There He was in the midst of wild beasts, served by the heavenly messengers.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “And he was in the desert for forty days, where he was put to the test by Satan. He faced dangerous animals. And the angels ministered to him.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 2:2:
Uma: “that is why many people assembled wanting to see him. They assembled, with the result that it was crowded in the house, even to the doorway it was full of people. He preached the Word of God to them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Many people gathered there to the house where Isa was. Therefore nobody else could fit in/there was no more room for them, even in the doorway. Isa proclaimed God’s word/message to them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and they gathered there. They were very many, and because of this there was no longer any room for them even under the eaves near the door. Jesus preached to them the Word of God” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Right then the many-people gathered there until there was no place for others, even around the doorway. Then as Jesus was preaching the word of God to them,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That’s why very many again were the people arriving there, even outside the house having no more room even to stand in. Without anything further, Jesus taught them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Isthmus Mixe: “Then many people gathered together. The house filled up, even around the door. There Jesus was inside preaching the word.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Kim text for oral translation: “People gathered around him many such that no one found a place to put his foot on the ground, even outside the door. Jesus was announcing the word of God.” (Source: Bayamy Tchande Awakde in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 23ff.)
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So many men gathered there that it became impossible to move. There were not even any open spaces around the door. So he was speaking his message to them.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:26:
Uma: “That person shook/trembled because of the evil spirit, and he cried out, and the evil spirit that possessed [rode] him came out.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then the man was convulsed by the demon and after the demon had screamed/shouted, he came out from the man.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And immediately the demon caused that man to have convulsions and caused him to scream loudly, and the demon came out of him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Whereupon the spirit caused-that man -to-convulse while-simultaneously he made-him -scream, and then he left him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That person was again caused to convulse by that evil spirit who was possessing him. And then it cried out as it left his body.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Balinese: “The demon(s) tormented the man so that he jerked, then went out while he (or they) screamed, loudly.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “Well, the unclean spirit convulsed him and, producing a tremendous sound, came out of him.”
