Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 8:23:
- Uma: “And it isn’t just the world that groans. We who are God’s children also groan in our hearts. We have received the Holy Spirit as a sign of God’s promise to us. But we still wait for the time God will lift us to become his children and free our bodies from all that is evil.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “It is not only some of God’s creation that suffers but including us (incl.) the ones to whom God gave his Spirit who is his beginning/first gift, we (incl.) also suffer while we (incl.) keep-on-waiting-for the day when God will make our (incl.) bodies new so that/and we (incl.) will no longer be sick and die. When that day arrives it will then be really clear that he has really made us (incl.) his children.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that’s not all, because as for us (incl.) also who have received the Holy Spirit which is the sign that there is still something which will be given to us by God in the future, drawn very tight is our expectancy of this, because we (incl.) really desire that that time might come when God will finish His making us His sons and He will carry out His making our bodies immortal.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But it is not only they who are having-a-hard-time but rather even we to whom the Holy Spirit has been given who is the first-thing that God has given us who believe. It is as we are also groaning in our minds in our waiting for the time when God will clearly reveal our status as his children and will transform these bodies of ours into new bodies that never-die.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now, not only what is in the world suffers, but also we want to have what we suffer pass by, that there will come the day when our bodies will become new. Then it will appear that we are God’s children. Even though we now walk with the Holy Spirit, yet we want to see the good which will be afterwards.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Mezquital Otomi: “And we suffer thirst and hunger, sickness and misfortune, and we sigh, but because God has given us the Holy Spirit as a sign of the joy that will come, therefore we wait for God to show we are his sons, with our bodies made new and glorious without weariness or pain.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:8:
- Uma: “Living or dying, we still/nonetheless follow the desires of the Lord. Living or dying, we are still the Lord’s portion.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “That’s why we (incl.) are alive, so that our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi is praised. Likewise also when we (incl.) die. So-then if we (incl.) are alive or dead, we (incl.) belong to Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we die, it is just the same also. And therefore, while we are still alive or whether we are already dead, we still belong to God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “but rather we want the Lord to be honored on account of our living and so also our dying. Therefore whether we are alive or whether we die, it is the Lord who owns us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore whether we live or whether we die, it is the Lord in whose hand we are.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Highland Totonac: “And if we live, we shall only live longer in order that we should do that which the Lord God wants us to do. And if we die, we shall only die so that we shall be with the Lord God. And meanwhile that we yet live, also when we die, we always belong to the Lord God.”
- Tzeltal: “It is our Lord’s command how we are alive now, and it is again our Lord’s command what hour we die. Therefore although we are alive or although we die, it is our Lord who is in charge of us.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “While we are present living we are present in order to do like our Lord wants us to do. We will die when our Lord says we will die. Thus it is, living or dying, we are children of our Lord.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 1:2:
- Uma: “until the day arrived of his being lifted going to heaven. After he was killed and brought back alive, many times he appeared to his apostles, so that they would clearly know that he lived again. During forty days, they indeed saw him and he taught them of God’s purpose of lifting mankind from the punishment of their sins and making them his people in his Kingdom. Before he left going to heaven, with authority of the Holy Spirit he placed [i.e., gave] his commands to those apostles of his whom he had chosen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “until the day he was caused to ascend to heaven. Before he ascended, he instructed the people he had chosen and commissioned to proclaim/preach the good news. Those instructions of his were from the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “until he was taken up by God to heaven. When Jesus was killed and rose again, there were many ways in which he showed his apostles proof that he was raised from the dead. For within forty days from that time he was always appearing to them. He taught them the ruling of God. Before he was taken up to heaven, he taught by means of the power of the Holy Spirit that which he wanted them to do to the apostles whom he had chosen before.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “from when-he-began to teach until his being-raised to heaven. When he died and-then lived again, he appeared to those whom he chose as apostles, and he did many things so-that they would thoroughly come-to-know that he lived again. Forty days went by during which he was appearing to them and was teaching them concerning God’s ruling. He also commanded them that which the Ispirito Santo (Holy Spirit) had-him-tell.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “until the day when he was caused to return to heaven/sky, after finishing the things he said to those disciples whom he had chosen, instructing them what they were to do through the strength of the Espiritu Santo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Morelos Nahuatl: “He continued until when God took him to heaven. Before he went to heaven Jesus chose his 12 servants. The Holy Spirit helped Jesus to give commands to them.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi; “And I told you all Jesus did until he went to heaven. When He lived here on earth the Holy Spirit of God told Jesus what to tell the apostles to do. The apostles are the ones Jesus had chosen.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:40:
- Uma: “Many other were the word of Petrus to the crowd, he advised them and warned them, he said: ‘Repent! No longer follow the evil people who live at this time, so that you do not receive the punishment of God that will strike them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Petros said much more to them and he begged them, he said, ‘Help yourselves so that you will not be punished like the people now/of these days who are bad/evil.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there were many arguments which Peter used to advise them. He said, ‘Avoid the punishment of God on these people today whose customs are bad.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “There was much more that Pedro said, advising and warning them so that they would hopefully be-persuaded. ‘You should escape the punishment of the stubbornly-unteachable people nowadays,’ he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Much more was said by Pedro which was his testimony and warning and he spoke-emphatically to them, saying, ‘Now make sure that you will be saved, no longer included with people whose nature/ways are evil, who really will be punished by God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Desano: “He said many things to them, speaking well to them, seeking the good of the people so that they would not be mixed with the evil people.”
- Isthmus Mixe: “Peter told them many more words. They were thus counseled: ‘Turn away from evil people lest you perish with them.'”
San Mateo del Mar Huave: “And in regard to that he told them more, he gave them advice, he said: ‘You leave off that which is wicked, that which all the people do.’ he tells them.” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:25:
- Uma: “You (sing.) are the one who gave words to our (excl.) ancestor of old, King Daud. Because Daud was your (sing.) servant [lit., ordered-one], and while he was controlled by the Holy Spirit, his words foretold ahead-of-time the opposition of all people, opposing the Lord Yesus. He said like this: ‘Why are the people who are not Yahudi so angry? And why also do the crowds make-plans wanting to oppose the Lord God? Their plans have no purpose.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You caused your servant, Da’ud, our (excl.) forefather to speak and he was taught by the Holy Spirit what he spoke, he said, ‘Why are the non-Yahudi nations/tribes angry? Why do the people plan/agree to destroy but/and-what’s-more it was useless/there was no (good) result?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You are the one who said long ago through our ancestor, your servant King David, because when he was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he said, ‘Why are the people who aren’t Jews so angry? And why the Jews think about that which has no purpose?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “You (sing.) moreover are the originator of the words (lit. word owner) that the Holy Spirit caused-David our (excl.) ancestor who served you (sing.) long-ago -to-write saying, ‘Why did the Gentiles become arrogant (lit. raise themselves) against God? Why did the descendants of Israel decide on a useless (lit. without use) plan to fight against him?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Through the inspiration by the Espiritu Santo, our (excl.) ancestor David spoke this which you caused him to speak, saying, ‘Why did the people who don’t acknowledge/recognize God become so angry? Why did people decide to do what is worthless/ineffective?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Teutila Cuicatec: “By means of your Holy Spirit you caused David who obeyed your word to write: ‘Why are all the nations rising up? ‘Why are people thinking about useless things?'”
- Lalana Chinantec: “The heart of your servant David obeyed what the Great Spirit of God wanted back then. He announced your word. He said: ‘Why is it that the other people very much make a fuss? Why is it that the Israel people think thoughts that are worthless?'” (Source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
See also Psalm 2:1 and Psalm 2:2.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:55:
- Uma: “From there, Stefanus was controlled by the Holy Spirit, and he gazed up to the sky. He saw the power of God, and he also saw Yesus standing at the right side of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But Estepan was controlled by the Holy Spirit; he looked up to the sky and he saw the brightness/glory of God and Isa standing on God’s right-hand side.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Stephen was thoroughly inspired of the Holy Spirit, and he looked up to heaven and he saw the powerful shining of God. And he saw also there Jesus who was standing at the right side of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But Esteban, he was full of the power of the Holy Spirit. He looked-upward to heaven, and he saw the brightness of God and Jesus standing at his right-side.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But as for Esteban, through the strength of the Espiritu Santo indwelling him, he looked up to heaven, and he saw the far-from-ordinary glory of God. He also saw Jesus standing at the right side of God the Father.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Morelos Nahuatl: “But in Stephen’s heart the Holy Spirit was ruling. When Stephen looked up to heaven he saw the light of God. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 23:5:
- Uma: “Paulus answered: ‘I didn’t know that he was the Big Priest. Yet there is indeed something written in the Holy Book that says: ‘Don’t speak harshly of the leader(s) of our village.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Paul answered, he said, ‘My brothers, I did not know that he is the leader priest. I know that it is written hep in the holy-book saying, ‘Do not speak evil of your leader.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Paul answered, ‘I did not know that he was the high sacrificer because I know that the written word of God says that you should not insult the one who leads you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Pablo said then in reply, ‘Brothers, had I known that he was the highest priest, I wouldn’t have shamed him, because there is admittedly something written in the word of God that says, ‘Do not (sing.) speak-evil-of the leader of your town/country.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Pablo replied, ‘Brethren, I didn’t know that he is apparently the Most-important Priest. If I had known, why would I have spoken like that since it is indeed contained in the writing, ‘Do not speak harshly to the one in authority who is ruling over you’?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Teutila Cuicatec: “Paul said: ‘My brothers, it is written in God’s word: ‘Don’t speak angrily against the leader of your home town.’ But it didn’t enter my head that that man is the high priest.'” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
For the Old Testament quotes, see Exodus 22:28.
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:17:
- Uma: “They refuse to seek harmony.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “They do not want to live peacefully/harmoniously.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They do not know about the peaceful custom.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “They have not walked-on the path which leads to harmony and peace,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Concerning how to bring about that people stop fighting, they do not know about this.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Teutila Cuicatec: “They don’t even know how to live well together.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
