Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 15:6:
Uma: “After that, he also appeared to more than five hundred people at one time. Most of them are still alive to this time, but several of them have died.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “After that he also appeared to his disciples when they were more than five hundred all together. Most of them are still living today but some have already died.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then He appeared also to more than five hundred of His disciples who were gathered together; most of them are still alive today, but some have already died.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “After that he appeared at-one-time to more than five hundred of our companions who believe. Some of them have died, but the majority of them are still alive today.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And then he went-to-see/meet more than five hundred believers who had gathered. Many of them are still alive until now, but as for others, they’re now dead.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “On another day there were more than five hundred of our brethren who saw Christ. And many of those still are living although some have died.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)
In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”
Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”
This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.
Brethren: usually in 1 Corinthians this word means “fellow Christians,” but in this verse “his followers” (Good News Bible) would be more correct.
Are … alive is literally “remain,” but in most languages “are alive” will be more meaningful.
Though: this Greek word is usually translated “but.” However, there is no emphasis on the last clause, as there would be if “but” were used in English. Paul’s point is that there are many people still alive who can confirm that Jesus rose from death. Therefore though is the more natural word here.
The phrase have fallen asleep will be misunderstood in most languages. The meaning is “have died,” as in Good News Bible.
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 .
15:6a After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once,
Afterwards, he appeared to more than five hundred believers at once.
-or-
Later, over five hundred of his followers/disciples saw him ⌊alive⌋ while they were gathered together.
15:6b most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Most of these people are still alive, although some have died.
-or-
Some of these followers/disciples have died, but most of them are alive to this day.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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