The Greek that is translated as “submissive” in English is translated in Elhomwe as “not to be in command.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
church
The Greek that is often translated as “church” in English is translated into Avaric as imanl’urazul ahlu: “the community of believers” or “the believing people.”
Magomed-Kamil Gimbatov and Yakov Testelets (in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 434ff. ) talk about the genesis of this term (click or tap here to read more):
“The word ‘Church’ presents particular difficulties, as we might expect when we think that even many Christians do not understand it correctly. When people today say ‘church,’ they often mean a particular building, or an organization consisting chiefly of clergy (priests and monks). It is even harder to find a word or combination of words which adequately translates the meaning for people unfamiliar with Christianity. Surprisingly, the Greek word ekklesia, indicating in the classical language ‘an assembly of the people,’ ‘a gathering of citizens,’ has come into Avar and other Dagestani languages in the form kilisa. This, like the word qanch (‘cross’), is an ancient borrowing, presumably from the time before the arrival of Islam, when Dagestan came under the influence of neighboring Christian states. In modern usage, however, this word indicates a place of Christian worship. Thus it is completely inappropriate as a translation of its New Testament ancestor ekklesia.
“We were obliged to look at various words which are closer to the meaning of the Greek. Some of these words are dandel’i (‘meeting’), danderussin (‘assembly’), the Arabic-derived mazhlis (‘meeting, conference’), zhama’at (‘society, community’), ahlu (‘race, people, family, group of people united by a common goal or interest’, as in the Arabic phrase ahlu-l-kitab ‘people of the Book’ or ‘people of the Scriptures’), which describes both Jews and Christians, and ummat (‘people, tribe’). In Islamic theology the phrase ‘Mohammed’s ummat’ means the universal community of Muslims, the Muslim world, in the same way as the Christian world is known as ‘Isa’s ummat.’ None of these descriptions on their own, without explanation, can be used to translate the word ‘Church’ in the New Testament. Thus, after long consideration, we adopted the phrase imanl’urazul ahlu, meaning ‘the community of believers,’ ‘the believing people,’ This translation corresponds closely to New Testament teaching about the Church.
“It is interesting that the same word ahlu with the meaning ‘tribe, community’ has been used by translators for different reasons in the introduction to the Gospel of Luke in order to translate the expression in the original Greek pepleroforemenon en hemin pragmaton (πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτων), which the Russian Synodal translation renders ‘about the events well-known amongst us’ (Luke 1:1). The expression ‘amongst us’ cannot be translated literally into Avar, but has to be rendered ‘among our people’; and here the same term was used as for the word ‘church’, literally ‘among our tribe, community (ahlu).'”
In Kamo “church” is fang-balla (“owners of writing-people”) when referring to the church community and “house of writing-people” when referring to a church building. David Frank explains: “In Kamo culture, Christianity was associated with writing, so Christianity is called balla, which they say means ‘people who write.’ Christianity is balla, and Christians are called fang-balla, which means ‘owners of Christianity.’ That is the term that is used for the church, in the sense of people, rather than a building. In Philemon 1:1b-2a, Paul says he is writing ‘To our friend and fellow worker Philemon, and to the church (fang-balla ‘owners of Christianity) that meet in your house.’ The word fang “owner’ is very productive in the Kamo language. A disciple is an ‘owner of learning,’ an apostle is an ‘owner of sending,’ a believer is an ‘owner of truth,’ a hypocrite is an ‘owner of seeing eyes.’ The expression ‘house of writing-people’ is used in Matthew 16:18, which reads in Kamo, ‘And so I tell you Peter, you are a rock, and on top of this rock foundation I will build my house of writing-people, and never even death will not be able to overcome it.” (See also Peter – rock)
In Bacama there also is a differentiation between the building (vɨnə hiutə: “house of prayer”) and the community (ji-kottə: “followers”) (source: David Frank in this blog post ).
In 16th-century Classical Nahuatl, a transliteration from Spanish (Santa Yglesia or Santa Iglesia) is typically used rather than a translation, making the concept take on a personified meaning. Ottman (p. 169) explains: “The church building, or more precisely the church complex with its associated patio, has a Nahuatl name in common usage — generally teopan, something like ‘god-place,’ in contradistinction to teocalli, ‘god-house,’ applied to a prehispanic temple — but the abstract sense is always Santa Iglesia, a Spanish proper name like ‘Dios’ or ‘Santa María’, and like ‘Santa María’ often called ‘our mother.’ As a personified ‘mother,’ in the European tradition as well as in Nahuatl, She instructs Her children or chastises them; as Bride of Christ, She both longs for Her heavenly rest and bears witness to it, in the ‘always-already’ of eschatological time; as successor to the Synagogue, the blindfolded, broken-sceptred elder sister who accompanies Her in painting and sculpture, She represents the triumphant rule of truth. ‘The Church’ can mean the clerical hierarchy; it can also, or simultaneously, mean the assembly of the faithful. It dispenses grace to its members, living and dead, yet it is also enriched by them, living and dead, existing not only on earth but in purgatory and in heaven.”
In Lisu the building (“church”) is called “house of prayer” (source: Arrington 2020, p. 196) whereas in Highland Totonac the community is referred as “those who gather together” (source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. ), in Huehuetla Tepehua as “those who gather together who have confidence in Christ” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), in Uma as “Christian people” (source: Uma Back Translation), in Kankanaey as “the congregation of God’s people” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa as “you whom God separated-out as his people because of your being-united/tied-together with Jesus Christ” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
In American Sign Language, “church” (as in the community of believers) is made up of the combination of the signs for “Jesus-into-heart” (signifying a believer), followed by the sign for “group.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Church” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
While British Sign Language also uses a sign that focuses on a group of people believing in Jesus (see here ), another sign that it uses combines the signs for “ringing the (church) bells” and a “group of people.” (Source: Anna Smith)
“Church” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Ekklesia .
complete verse (1 Corinthians 14:34)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 14:34:
- Uma: “So, your women/wives must be quiet in the services. They are not permitted to be talking like that, they must submit as is written in the Law of the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “the women shall be quiet while they are in the gathering. They cannot take part in the arguments with the men because the holy-book says that it is not possible for a woman to cause-herself-to-be-higher than a man.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There’s also a command I have for you which is what the believers in every town do; it is this: don’t you permit that a woman teach when you gather together to worship. They should just listen, because the Law of the Jews teaches that women should not be in charge.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because what God wants/likes is not what-is-disorderly but rather what is orderly/harmonious. Women ought to be quiet when you meet-as-a-congregation as they also do in the other congregations of God’s people. It is not permitted that they speak but rather they must submit-themselves to (lit. cause-themselves-to-be-ruled-by) the men just like it is written in God’s law.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, just as is being followed/obeyed by all the people of God, it’s necessary that the women don’t speak (lit. make a noise) for they are not allowed to speak when the-whole-group is gathered together to worship. For like what was said in the laws, they are under the jurisdiction of the man.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “That is, the women are not allowed to speak where the believers are gathered. Because the women do not have permission to explain the word to the people. Rather the men must be the leaders just like the law of God says.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Burmese (translation by A. Judson, first publ. in 1823, still the most widely-used translation in Myanmar): “The wife of yours should stay silent in the church. They have no permission to preach. As the law commanded they must consent to the ruling of man.” (Source: Hluan 2022, p. 82ff. — see there also for a detailed analysis of Judson’s translation.)
For further consideration of this and the surrounding verses, see Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1995, p. 101ff.
law
The Greek that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (wsource: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:34
As we noted in the introduction to 7.1-16, the same Greek word may mean “wife” and “woman.” All translations consulted in languages that make a distinction between “wife” and “woman” take women to be the meaning here.
For the problem of reconciling this passage with 11.4, see the comments on that verse.
They are not permitted: “Christian custom” is probably the implied agent of this passive verb, not the law that Paul introduces in verse 34b as a fresh argument. In some languages it may be simpler to translate “we do not allow them to speak.” Revised English Bible, however, thinks that in verse 34a Paul is already thinking of the Old Testament law: “They have no permission to talk, but should keep their place as the law directs.” This is less likely, first, because the probable Old Testament reference is to Gen 3.16, which speaks of Eve being subject to Adam, not of her being silent; and second, because the word translated even appears to make a new point (New Revised Standard Version is better, with “also”).
Verse 34b introduces a new argument based on the Old Testament, although Paul does not refer explicitly to any Old Testament text. Bruce suggests Genesis 1.26ff; 2.2ff (compare 1 Cor 11.3ff) rather than Genesis 3.16, suggested by earlier commentators, Barrett, and editions of the Greek New Testament. Fee, who argues at length that verses 34-35 are not by Paul, thinks that the author is appealing to an oral understanding of the Law.
Should be subordinate: Good News Bible replaces Revised Standard Version‘s positive expression by a negative one: “they must not be in charge.” One may also say “they must not hold positions of leadership.”
Law: “the Jewish” (Good News Bible) is implied. One can also say “the law of Moses.”
There is no doubt in the Greek that “as the Jewish Law says” refers to “they must not be in charge” (Good News Bible). The phrase “as the Jewish Law says” may be translated “as we find it written in the Jewish Law.”
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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