The now commonly-used English idiom “in the twinkling of an eye” (meaning immediately) was first coined in 1382 in the English translation by John Wycliffe (in the spelling in the twynklyng of an iye). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 290)
In Russian, this phrase (в мгновение ока — v mgnoveniye oka) is also widely-used as an idiom. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 47f.)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
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 inclusive form (including the addressee).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:52:
- Uma: “This will happen suddenly, in the blink of an eye, when [the] sangkakala is blown the last time. [could also possibly mean: when the final sangkakala is blown.] For when that sangkakala is blown, the dead will be caused to live again with life that has no end. And we who are still alive will be changed as well.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “This will happen fast, in only a twinkling of the eye. When God commands already to sound the thing like a tabuli’ (a big sea shell blown to give certain signals), all the ones trusting in Isa Almasi who have died will suddenly be made alive again and they will not die again. And we (incl.) the ones living, all our (incl.) bodies will be changed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For this will take place very quickly, just like the blink of an eye will be what happens here in the future when God causes a trumpet to sound which is a sign that it is already the last day here on the earth. For that trumpet will be sounded and the dead will rise up. Their bodies will be changed and they will no longer die anymore. And as for us who are still alive, our (incl.) our bodies will also be changed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “like the single-blink of an eye. This will happen on the last day when-God’s horn -will-be-heard. Because when the blast of that horn is heard, God will make-alive again the dead and will give them bodies that will never-die while at-the-same-time he will transform us who are still living.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “This will not take long for, when the time has arrived, it will be done in just a flash (lit. one passing) or one eye-blink, at-the-same-time-as the sound of a horn/siren which is a sign that the end of the world has arrived. When this horn/siren is sounded, as for those who have now died, their bodies will be made to live again and they will never die again. And as for those who have not yet died at that time, their bodies will also be made-new. Really, as for us, we will all be made-new.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “As quick as a person blinks, it will happen. That day at the end there will be heard the trumpet. When it has sounded those who have died will resurrect in order to live for ever. But the people who are still alive on that day will have their bodies changed.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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