Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:7:
- Uma: “For there is not one of us who lives following our own desires. Nor is there one of us who dies following our own desires.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “All of us (incl.) belong to Isa Almasi, our (incl.) Leader. That’s why in our (incl.) life and in our (incl.) death we (incl.) ought to please him not ourselves (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For there isn’t any one of us believers that doesn’t belong to God while he’s still on the earth or whether he is already dead. For while we are still alive we are subjects of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because all of us who believe, it is not our being-honored/praised that we are searching for in our living and even in our dying,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “No one can decide on his own how he will live, because all of us are in the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. While we are living we are in his hand. When we have died we are in his hand.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Mezquital Otomi: “Because not one of us lives to do what we want to do ourselves, and not one of us dies according to our own will.”
- Highland Totonac: “Because no one of us is our own boss in our living, and neither is any of us our own boss when we die.”
- Sayula Popoluca: “We don’t live just for ourselves, nor will we die because we want to.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the readers of the letter). Chicahuaxtla Triqui, one the other hand, selects the inclusive form.
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff. and Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:39:
- Uma: “Because God promised that he would give us the Holy Spirit, and to our descendants, even to people who are far away. This promise of God’s is for [lit., the portion of] all people whom our Lord, the Lord God, has called to be his followers.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “For this is God’s promise hep to you Yahudi and to your descendants, and including also all in the far places, whoever is told/commanded by our (incl.) Leader God to follow him.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for us (incl.) and our (incl.) descendants, we (incl.) are the ones who were promised the Holy Spirit. And not just only us, but also those people who live a long way off, anyone whom God makes to believe in him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because that is what God promised to you and to your descendants and to them who are in distant countries, even any person whom God our Lord calls.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For this is what was promised to us all, including our children and people in far away places, as many as are called by God to submit to him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Lalana Chinantec: “‘For God has said he is willing to give to you his Great Spirit. He will also give it to your sons. He will give it to people who live far away and to all the people whom our Lord has chosen.’ That’s what Peter said to the Israel people.”
Morelos Nahuatl. “God wants to give his Holy Spirit to you and your children and to all those who are far away. All whom God calls he will give his Holy Spirit to them.”
Isthmus Mixe: “For if you thus comply, you will be surely given the Holy Spirit. God previously said that he would thus truly give you. He wants to give him to you and your children and all the ones in a far place and who ever gets called to/by the Lord our God.” (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 4:19:
- Uma: “Petrus and Yohanes answered said: ‘Consider for yourselves, which one does God like: to follow your [emphatic] commands, or follow the commands of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But Petros and Yahiya answered them, they said, ‘Give your opinion, which is right/straight in God’s sight, we (excl.) obey/follow you or God?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Peter and John answered saying, ‘Consider which one of these two ways would be what God would want, if we obey your command and we do not teach the name of Jesus or if we obey that which God told us to do.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But Pedro and Juan said, ‘Please think if it is right in the sight of God that we (excl.) obey what you are saying, not what he is saying.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But when Pedro-and-companion heard, they replied, saying, ‘You judge which is possible/acceptable with God. Is it that his will is what we (excl.) obey or this of yours which is contrary to what he told us (excl.) to do?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Desano: “Peter and John answered saying, ‘Think this over with the help of God. What do you think? Should one do first your commands, or the commands of God?'”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “Peter and John answered: ‘You say now what is better that we do before the face of God. Do we do what you say or do we do what God says?'”
- Coatlán Mixe: “All of you consider if it is the straight of it with God that we obey you when it is proper that we should obey God.”
- Teutila Cuicatec: “…Figure it out for yourselves. Before God, is it proper that we should not obey what he commands in order to obey you?”
- Isthmus Mixe: “…You decide if God approves if we obey your words and not God’s.”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “…Do you think God will say it’s good if we believe you and obey your saying and leave the saying of God? Do you feel it is right?”
- Ayutla Mixtec: “Then Peter and John answered, they said to them, ‘May you consider, would God see it as better that we obey you? Would God see it as better that we obey him himself?’ they said answering.” (Source for this and six above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:45:
- Uma: “Some time after that, our ancestors died in that wilderness. And their children brought that worship tent into this land of Kanaan. At that time, God expelled the inhabitants of Kanaan, and Yosua lead the Israel people to win/obtain this land that we dwell in now. So, that worship tent was still in the midst of the Israel people long ago until the time of King Daud.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Then they left that house to their descendants for-many-generations. And our (incl.) forefathers brought it when they and Yussa’ entered into this land, after God had driven away the other nations/tribes that were living here. And that house was still here until-during the time when Da’ud was king.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And a long time after that as for the children of these ancestors of ours, when they inherited that shelter where God lived, they did not abandon it in their following Joshua when they came into this our land. And they came to own this land when God drove out the previous inhabitants here. And the dwelling place of God was still here when David began to rule.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “When Moses died, Josue took-his-place to lead them in their coming to this country. And that-aforementioned Tent which they inherited, they took-it-with-them in their taking-over the land of those who originally/formerly resided here whom God drove-out. And that-aforementioned Tent, it remained in our country until the time of King David.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “It was inherited by their childen who were then being led by Josue who succeeded Moises. They brought it with them when they entered this land which became theirs, when they drove out the previous inhabitants with the help of God. That really was their handed-down worship-place of God till the time of king David.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Highland Popoluca: “When Moses died, Joshua was chosen that he would lead our brothers passed-by (forefathers). And Joshua took our brothers from the desert to the land promised them by God. When they arrived there the land was occupied. But God put out these people that our forefathers should be able to go in. For a long time they the Israel people had their cloth house until David was their leader.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 23:4:
- Uma: “From there, the person next to Paulus said to him: ‘How dare you (sing.) speak against the Big Priest that God has chosen like that!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Those standing near Paul said to him, ‘Do you revile the leader priest chosen by God?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the people near Paul said, ‘Why are you insulting the high sacrificer whom God has chosen?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Then the one(s) near Pablo said, ‘How-come you (sing.) are mocking the highest priest of God?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “When Pablo had said that, those standing near said to him, ‘What kind of person are you that you speak harshly to the Most-important Priest of God?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Lalana Chinantec: “A person who was close to Paul he said: ‘It is very ugly that you speak to the greatest priest of God.'” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:16:
- Uma: “Wherever they go they bring evil and suffering.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Wherever they go many are destroyed by them, and they carry sadness/troubles to people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Wherever they go they destroy and they bring hardship.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “and no matter where (lit. even wherever) they go, there are those whom they ruin and cause-to-be-piteous.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “There where they go, always they ruin the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Isthmus Zapotec: “Wherever they pass by they destroy and in that place will remain pain for others.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
For the Old Testament quote, see Isaiah 59:7 and Isaiah 59:8.
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 10:4:
- Uma: “But Kristus, he is the fulfillment of the Lord’s Law. Everyone who believes in him becomes straight in God’s sight.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Since Isa Almasi came here the law is no longer the way to God. But that is why we (dual) are considered straight by God because we (dual) trust in Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For Christ has made it so that there is no value in obeying the Law. So that as for anybody it is only by believing in Christ that he is considered righteous by God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But the truth of it is that Cristo is the ending-place of the law, so all those who believe in him are made-righteous in God’s sight.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Concerning all who believe in Christ, these are the people whose sins are cleared. No longer should people say that first they must do all which the law says and only then they will save their souls.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- North Alaskan Inupiatun: “Everyone who believes in Christ has stopped trying to make himself right by obeying God’s law which he gave through Moses. He has been made right by believing in Christ.”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “Since Christ came, in vain do they follow after some law in order to become good, because now whoever believes Christ shall became good.” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
