Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:22:
Uma: “Yesus said to them: ‘You [plural] don’t know what you are requesting. Will you be able to carry the suffering that I must carry?’ Those two disciples answered: ‘We are able!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa answered he said, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you willing to be persecuted as I will soon be persecuted?’ ‘Yes, we are willing,’ they said.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said to the two, ‘You don’t know what you’re asking for. Can you endure the torment with which I will be tormented?’ ‘Yes,’ they said, ‘we can endure.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Whereupon Jesus said to those two disciples of his, ‘You don’t know what you are saying. Can you endure do-you-suppose the difficulty that I will suffer/undergo?’ ‘It-is-possible,’ they said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘It’s like you (pl.) don’t know what you are asking for,’ said Jesus to them. ‘Are you able to experience the hardship/suffering that I will experience?’ ‘Yes, we are able,’ was the reply of those two.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But Jesus said to the sons: ‘You do not know the significance of what you ask for. Are you able to go through the suffering which I go through? Because I will overflowingly be made to suffer by the people,’ he said. They said to him: ‘Yes, we are able to suffer.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 4:21:
Uma: “Surely you heard his voice, and from your connection with him you were taught the true teaching that we receive from Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “You have heard about him and because you are his disciples/adherents you have been taught the true teaching from him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It’s really true that you were taught about Christ and you were also caused to understand the true doctrine which He taught.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “because in your following him, you have indeed been taught the true teaching which was shown indeed also in his life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For you really did hear-the-news concerning him and you were indeed taught well the truth originating from him. (We can be sure that, as long as he is the source, it’s wholly the truth.)” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Truly you heard concerning the word which Jesus Christ taught. Concerning this word, it is true and it is the word which Christ taught.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 11:49:
Uma: “From there, one from the midst of them named Kayafas, the High Priest that year, said: ‘You don’t know anything!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “One person answered, his name was Kayapas. He was the leading priest that year. Kayapas said, ‘You do not understand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Caiphas, one of them spoke, he was the high priest on that year, he said, ‘You have no thinking.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But whereupon Caifas who was the highest priest that year, he said, ‘You know absolutely nothing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When they couldn’t agree about what would be good to do, Caifas spoke, who was their leader that year. He said, ‘What are you for people?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “One person replied, he who was named Caiaphas. He was the boss of the priests that year. He said to the people, ‘Don’t you know what we must do?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 21:20:
Uma: “When the disciples saw what had happened, they were surprised/startled, they said: ‘Why did that fig tree immediately wilt?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When his disciples saw that, they wondered, they said, ‘Why is that tree immediately withered?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “His disciples were amazed when they saw what had happened to the tree, and they said, ‘Why did this fig tree immediately wither?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When his disciples saw that, they were extremely surprised and they said, ‘Wow! How-come that fig tree dried-up immediately?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “His disciples saw this which happened. They were amazed. They spoke, saying, ‘How did that igos die at once?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The learners of Jesus saw that the tree was starting to dry up and were astounded at this. They asked him: ‘How can it be that the tree at once wants to dry up?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 5:21:
Uma: “and we submit one to another as our [way of] respecting/honoring Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Humble yourselves/cause yourselves to be low towards your companion because of your honoring Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Show respect, each one of you, to each other because of your respect for Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Another-thing also, submit-to-one-another (lit. cause-yourselves -to-be-ruled-by-one-another) because of your respecting/esteeming Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And something else also, be submissive to one another, the sign that you now have respect for Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Now because you revere God, each of you help the others.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Mokole: “You who know the honor of Christ, bow your heads to one another.” Mokole grammar doesn’t know a passive voice and the translation has to therefore render anything that is passive in the active form. (Source: Hilary Deneufchâtel in Le Sycomore 17/1, 2024, p. 21ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:24:
Uma: “These my words are very true: I may be compared to rice. If rice is not planted in the ground and covered up like a dead-person, it just [will stay] the same. But if it is planted, its fruit will be much.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Truly I tell you, that one grain of seed remains just one grain as long as it is not put in the soil. But when it is put in the soil already, figuratively like it has died and is buried, na then it sprouts and has much fruit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It is very true what I say to you, that if a seed is not buried in the earth, it cannot have offspring. And if it is buried and it sprouts, it will bear much fruit. I am the same way because if I die, many will be given new life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Like what happens to a seed. Because this that I tell you is true that if a seed is not planted in order to thus rot and sprout, it will remain-unchanged only-one. But if it is planted and rots, then it will sprout and will bear-much -fruit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “This is the truth which I am saying to you, an illustration of me is, like planting-seed. As for planting-seed, when it’s planted it’s like it will die because it will rot, but that’s how it will become many. But if it isn’t planted, it’s only by itself.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Truly I tell you that it is necessary that I be killed in order that many will find the new life. It is like a seed of wheat which remains just one seed when it isn’t placed in the ground. But when it is placed in the ground, the seed grows and much wheat is gathered at harvest.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:24:
(In many languages it is necessary to avoid using the word ‘die’ because a dead seed will not grow.)
Ojitlán Chinantec: “Truly I tell you, if a grain of wheat is planted, the grain perishes when the plant comes up, but then many grains of wheat are produced. But the grain remains alone if it does not perish and come up as a plant. Also in that manner it is necessary that I die so that my people may multiply.”
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “This is the truth. If a seed is going to give its fruit, it is necessary that it be buried in the earth. And when it is buried, first it appears as if it were destroyed, but later it will give its fruit. And thus also it will happen to me when I am buried. ” (Source for this and one above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
Note: “In many languages it is necessary to avoid using the word ‘die’ because a dead seed will not grow.” (Source: John Beekman)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 22:6:
Uma: “There were also others who grabbed those servants, they beat them and killed them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “and the others seized the servants of the sultan and hit them and killed them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the other people there, they grabbed the ones the king had sent and they beat them, and then they killed them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Others, they caught the king’s slaves, they excessively hardshipped them and then they killed them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “As for others, they set upon those slaves, insulted/belittled and then killed (them).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Others grabbed the messengers sent by the king, they hurt them and killed some.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 6:20:
Uma: “The Lord Yesus lifted me to become his messenger/apostle, so that I carry the Good News, to the point that here I am in prison. So, pray for me that I will be brave to speak the Good News as is appropriate.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “I have been commissioned by Almasi to proclaim the good news, even though now I am here in prison. Ask/pray to God that I may be bold to proclaim because this is the work God gave me to do.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I became a servant of God was so that I might preach this Good News. And also because of this preaching of mine I have become a prisoner. Therefore, brothers, pray for me so that I won’t be afraid to preach because this is the job that God has given me to do.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because Cristo sent me as his representative (lit. bodyhood) in order that I would make-known this good news, and that’s the reason I am imprisoned today. So be-praying-for me so that I would-become-brave to preach-it, because that’s the right-thing that I ought to do.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Because through the teaching of this Good News, God entrusted me with my job/responsibility, and that is how I came to be chained like this here in prison. Therefore, it’s necessary that you pray that I can indeed teach boldly according to what I must do.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “God appointed me to be a representative to tell this good news. And now because I speak this word I am in prison. Therefore pray to God for me in order that I will be able to be strengthened to speak well the word as it is my duty to do so.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
