liar

The Greek that is translated as “liar” in English is translated in Low German idiomatically Windbütel or “cream puff” (originally to a bag filled with wind) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

antichrist

The Greek that is translated as “antichrist” in English is translated in Tibetan as ma shi ka’i bstan dgra (མ་​ཤི་​ཀའི་​བསྟན་​དགྲ།) or “Christ’s-teaching-enemy.” (Source: gSungrab website )

complete verse (1 John 2:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:22:

  • Uma: “Who are those liars? The liars are people who deny that Kristus is the Redeemer King. They are the enemies of Kristus, for they reject God the Father and God the Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Now, who is a liar? The liar is a person who says that Isa is not the Almasi who is chosen by God as ruler. The person who says this is the Opposing Almasi. He does not believe-obey in God and his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Who is the liar? He is the one who says that Jesus is not the one chosen by God to rule. The one who says this is an enemy of Christ, for he says that our Father God is not the true one to be worshipped, and he also says that Christ is not the Son of the true God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Who then is the liar if not the one who says that Jesus is not the Cristo whom God sent? The one who says this, he is the one who opposes Cristo, and it is not only God’s Child whom he does not acknowledge but rather God as well.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Who am I referring to as being a liar, if not the one who gives out that as for Jesus, he is not that Cristo who is the Savior King was promised by God? A person like this is who is meant by opponent of Cristo, he who rejects God the Father and his Son Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Let us know who the liar is. The liar is that one who says that Jesus is not the Christ whom God appointed to rule. That one is the enemy of Christ because he denies the Father and he denies the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person is a liar who says about Jesus that he is not the Christ the Son of God. The person who shoves aside our father God and his son, that person does contrary to Christ.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know which word is a lie. That which denies that Jesus is the same as the Christ, the Chosen-One of God. He is God’s enemy who says that, and thinks that Jesus Christ is not God’s Son. Neither does he believe the Father.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘Jesus Christ has not been given his work by God,’ we are lying. If we say ‘God is not the father of Jesus Christ,’ we are opposing Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

Jesus

The Greek Iēsous is “only” a proper name but one with great importance. The following quote by John Ellington (in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 401ff. ) illustrates this:

“In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told that when Mary gives birth to a son ‘you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’ (1:21). This name is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name [Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) which is a short form of a name meaning] ‘the Lord [Yahweh] saves.’ The name is very significant and is in itself especially dear to Christians around the world. (…) Unquestionably great importance is attached to the name of Jesus by Christians of all persuasions and backgrounds.”

While Iēsous (pronounced: /i.ɛː.suːs/) is transliterated as “Jesus” (pronounced /ˈdʒiːzəs/) in English (but was translated as “Hælend” [the “healing one”] in Old English — see Swain 2019) it is transliterated and pronounced in a large variety of other ways as well, following the different rules of different languages’ orthographies, writing systems and rules of pronunciation. The following is a (partial) list of forms of Jesus in Latin characters: aYeso, Azezi, Cecoc, Chesús, Chi̍i̍sū, Ciisahs, Ciise, Ciisusu, Djesu, Ɛisa, Ƹisa, Eyesu, Gesù, Gesû, Gesü, Ġesù, Ghjesù, Giêsu, ꞌGiê‑ꞌsu, Giê-xu, Gyisɛse, Hesu, Hesús, Hisus, Hisuw, Ià-sŭ, Iesen, Ié:sos, Iesu, Iesui, Iesusɨn, Iesusiva, Ié:sos, Ihu, Iisus, Iisussa, Ijeesu, iJisọsị, Iji̍sɔ̄ɔsi, Iosa, Íosa, Ìosa, İsa, I’sa, Isiso, Isõs, Ísu, Isus, Isusa, Iisussa, Isuthi, Itota, Îtu, Isuva, Izesu, Izesuq, Jasus, Jeeju, Jeesus, Jeesuse, Jeezas, Jehu, Jeisu, Jeju, Jejus, Jeso, Jesoe, Jesosa, Jesoshi, Jesosy, Jesu, Jesû, Jesua, Jesuh, Jesuhs, Jesuo, Jesús, Jésus, Jesúsu, Jethu, Jezed, Jezi, Jézi, Ježiš, Jezu, Jezus, Jézus, Jėzus, Jēzus, Jezusi, Jėzus, Jezuz, Jiijajju, Jíísas, Jiizas, Jíìzọ̀s, Jisas, Jisase, Jisasi, Jisasɨ, Jisaso, Jisesi, Jisɛ̀, Jisos, Jisọs, Jisɔs, Jisu, Jiszs, Jizọs, Jizɔs, Jizọsi, Jizọsu, Jòso, Jusu, Jweesus, Ketsutsi, Njises, Sesi, Sisa, Sísa, Sisas, Sīsū, Sizi, Txesusu, uJesu, Ujísɔ̄si, ŵaYesu, Xesosi, ´Xesús, Xesús, Yasu, Ya:su, Ɣaysa, Yecu, Yeeb Sub, Yeeh Suh, Yeesey, Yeeso, Yeesso, Yēēsu, Yēēsu, Yehsu, Yëësu, Yeisu, Yeisuw, Yeshu, Yeso, Yesò, Yëso, Yɛso, ye-su, Yésu, Yêsu, Yẹ́sụ̃, Yésʉs, Yeswa, Yet Sut, Yetut, Yexus, Yezo, Yezu, Yiesu, Yiisa, Yiisu, Yiitju, Yis, Yisɔs, Yisufa, Yitati, Yusu, ‑Yusu, :Yusu’, Zeezi, Zezi, Zezì, Zezwii, Ziizɛ, Zisas, Zîsɛ, Zjezus, Zozi, Zozii, and this (much more incomplete) list with other writings systems: ᔩᓱᓯ, ᒋᓴᔅ, Հիսուս, ᏥᏌ, ኢየሱስ, ያሱስ, ܝܫܘܥ, Ісус, Їисъ, 耶稣, იესო, ईसा, イエス, イイスス, イエスス, 예수, येशू, येशो, ਈਸਾ, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ජේසුස්, যীশু, ଯୀଶୁ, ཡེ་ཤུ་, ‘ঈছা, இயேசு, ಯೇಸು, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ယေရှု, ઇસુ, जेजू, येसु, เยซู, យេស៊ូ, ᱡᱤᱥᱩ, ယေသှု, యేసు, ᤕᤧᤛᤢ᤺ᤴ, އީސާގެފާނު, ਯਿਸੂ, ꕉꖷ ꔤꕢ ꕞ, ⵏ⵿ⵗⵢⵙⴰ, ଜୀସୁ, يَسُوعَ,ㄧㄝㄙㄨ, YE-SU, ꓬꓰ꓿ꓢꓴ, 𖽃𖽡𖾐𖼺𖽹𖾏𖼽𖽔𖾏, ꑳꌠ, ᠶᠡᠰᠦᠰ (note that some of these might not display correctly if your device does not have the correct fonts installed).

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In some languages the different confessions have selected different transliterations, such as in Belarusian with Isus (Ісус) by the Orthodox and Protestant churches and Yezus (Езус) by the Catholic church, Bulgarian with Iisus (Иисус) by the Orthodox and Isus (Исус) by the Protestant church, Japanese with Iesu (イエス) (Protestant and Catholic) and Iisusu (イイスス) (Orthodox), or Lingala with Yesu (Protestant) or Yezu (Catholic). These differences have come to the forefront especially during the work on interconfessional translations such as one in Lingala where “many hours were spent on a single letter difference” (source: Ellington, p. 401).

In Literary and Mandarin Chinese where transliterations of proper names between the Catholic and Protestant versions typically differ vastly, the Chinese name of Jesus (Yēsū 耶稣) remarkably was never brought into question between and by those two confessions, likely due to its ingenious choice. (Click or tap here to see more).

The proper name of God in the Old Testament, Yahweh (YHWH), is rendered in most Chinese Bible translations as Yēhéhuá 耶和華 — Jehovah. According to Chinese naming conventions, Yēhéhuá could be interpreted as Yē Héhuá, in which Yē would be the family name and Héhuá — “harmonic and radiant” — the given name. In the same manner, Yē 耶 would be the family name of Jesus and Sū 稣 would be his given name. Because in China the children inherit the family name from the father, the sonship of Jesus to God the Father, Jehovah, would be illustrated through this. Though this line of argumentation sounds theologically unsound, it is indeed used effectively in the Chinese church (see Wright 1953, p. 298).

Moreover, the “given name” of Sū 稣 carries the meaning ‘to revive, to rise again’ and seems to point to the resurrected Jesus. (Source: J. Zetzsche in Malek 2002, p. 141ff., see also tetragrammaton (YHWH))

There are different ways that Bible translators have chosen historically and today in how to translate the name of Jesus in predominantly Muslim areas: with a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) (which is used for “Jesus” in the Qur’an), the Greek Iēsous, or, like major 20th century Bible translations into Standard Arabic, the Aramaic Yēšūaʿ: Yasua (يَسُوعَ). (Click or tap here to see more.)

Following are languages and language groups that use a form of Isa include the following (note that this list is not complete):

  • Indo-Iranian languages: Persian, Dari, Central Pashto, Southern Pashto all use Eysa (عيسی or عيسىٰ for Southern Pashto), Sindhi uses Eysey (عيسيٰ), Southern Balochi Issa (ایسّا), Central Kurdish (Sorani) and Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) use Îsa (عیسای and Иса respectively), Turkmen has Isa, and Tajik Isoi (Исои — compare Iso/Исо in the Tajik Qur’an)
  • Turkic languages: Turkish uses İsa, Kazakh, Kumyk, Nogai, Crimean Tatar all have Isa (Иса), Kirghiz has Iysa (Ыйса), Uzbek has Iso (Исо — compare Iiso/Ийсо in the Uzbek Qur’an), Bashkir uses Aaisa (Ғайса), North Azerbaijani İsa, Uighur uses Eysa (ئەيسا), and Kara-Kalpak İysa (Ийса)
  • Caucasian languages: Bezhta and Lezghian use Isa (Иса), Avaric has Aisa (ГІиса), and Chechen Iza (Иза)
  • Various African languages: Somali, a Cushitic language, has Ciise, Kabyle has Ɛisa and Tahaggart Tamahaq has Yeswa (both Berber languages), the Saharan languages Central Kanuri, Manga Kanuri have Isa, the Atlantic-Congo languages Dagbani, Mampruli, and Bimoba use Yisa, and the Chadian Arabic Bible has Isa (عِيسَى)
  • In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
  • Some languages have additional “TAZI” editions (TAZI stands for “Tawrat, Anbiya, Zabur, and Injil” the “Torah, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel”) of the New Testament that are geared towards Muslim readers where there is also a translation in the same language for non-Muslims. In those editions, Isa is typically used as well (for example, the Khmer TAZI edition uses Isa (អ៊ីសា) rather than the commonly used Yesaou (យេស៊ូ), the Thai edition uses Isa (อีซา) rather than Yesu (เยซู), the Chinese edition uses Ěrsā (尔撒) vs. Yēsū (耶稣), and the English edition also has Isa rather than Jesus.)

In German the name Jesus (pronounced: /ˈjeːzʊs/) is distinguished by its grammatical forms. Into the 20th century the grammatical rules prescribed a unique Greek-Latin declination: Jesus (nominative), Jesu (genitive, dative, vocative), Jesum (accusative), from which today only the genitive case “Jesu” is still in active use. Likewise, in Seediq (Taroko), the morphological treatment of “Jesus” also occupies a special category by not falling under the normal rule of experiencing a vowel reduction when the object-specific suffix an is added “since it was felt that the readers might resent that the name has been changed that drastically.” (Compare Msian for “Moses” (Mosi) as an object, but Yisuan for “Jesus” (Yisu).) (Source: Covell 1998. p. 249)

In Lamba the name ŵaYesu consists of a transliteration Yesu and the prefix ŵa, a plural form for “proper names when addressing and referring to persons in any position of seniority or honor.” While this was avoided in early translations to avoid possible misunderstandings of more than one Jesus, once the church was established it was felt that it was both “safe” and respectful to use the honorific (pl.) prefix. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )

In virtually all sign languages, “Jesus” is signed with the middle finger of each hand pointing to the palm (or wrist) of the other in succession (signing the nails of the cross). In the context of Bible translation this has been pointed out as theologically problematic since the “semantic connections of the original name Jesus do point towards ‘salvation,’ they do not naturally lead to crucifixion.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 1 (2020), p. 33ff.)


“Jesus” in German Sign Language (source )

Following is the oldest remaining Ethiopian Orthodox icon of Jesus from the 14th or possibly 13th century (found in the Church of the Saviour of the World in Gurji, Ethiopia). As in many Orthodox icons, Jesus’ right hand forms the Greek letters I-C-X-C for IHCOYC XPICTOC or “Jesus Christ.” Another interpretation of the right hand is that it shows three fingers pointing to the Trinity, while the two other fingers point to Jesus’ two natures.

source (c) Jacques Mercier and Alain Mathieu

Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

The style of the following drawing of Jesus by Annie Vallotton is described by the artist as this: “By using few lines the readers fill in the outlines with their imagination and freedom. That is when the drawings begin to communicate.” (see here )

Illustration by Annie Vallotton, copyright by Donald and Patricia Griggs of Griggs Educational Service.

Other visual representation of Jesus in TIPs include several non-Western styles of art: traditional Korean art, traditional Chinese art, modern Chinese abstract art, northern and central Thailand’s popular art, Japanese prints.

See also this devotion on YouVersion .

Father (address for God)

The Greek that is translated with the capitalized “Father” in English when referring to God is translated in Highland Totonac with the regular word for (biological) father to which a suffix is added to indicate respect. The same also is used for “Lord” when referring to Jesus. (Source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. In the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017, God the Father is addressed with mi-chichi (御父). This form has the “divine” honorific prefix mi– preceding the archaic honorific form chichi for “father.”

If, however, Jesus addresses his Father, he is using chichi-o (父を) which is also highly respectful but does not have the “divine” honorific. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also Lord and my / our Father.

Translation commentary on 1 John 2:22

The clauses of verses 22-23 stand side by side without any connective particle, which lends a certain solemnity to the style. This is in accordance with the importance of the subject John is treating here, namely, the denial of Christ’s humanity. This denial is the great lie of the false teachers.

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ: it may be preferable to reword this rhetorical question as a real question followed by an answer; compare “Who, then, is the liar? It is he who…” (Good News Translation), or it may be preferable to shift from question to statement; for example, ‘if anyone is a liar, it certainly is he who denies…,’ or ‘the one who denies…, he lies.’

The liar, that is, a real liar, one who tells lies in the fullest sense of the word. The definite article serves here to single out a characteristic representative of the class.

“To deny that Jesus is the Christ” may have to be rendered ‘to declare that Jesus is not the Christ.’ The verb refers to an utterance in public.

The term (the) Christ, occurring also in 5.1 and 2 John 9, originated as the translation of “the Messiah,” both words meaning “the anointed one.” The Gospel uses the term as a descriptive name or a title for the One whom God had promised to send as savior of his people Israel. In these Letters it functions as a proper name, and as such it should be not translated but transliterated. Both for John and for his opponents, this name referred to a divine person and was virtually synonymous with “the Son (of God)” (compare verses 22-23; 5.1, 5), or with “the Word,” as used in 1.1, and John 1.1-14.

In the Gospel the debate with the Jews was whether Jesus could be the Messiah, or Christ, of Israel. In this Letter another point is in discussion. John and his opponents differed on the question whether the man Jesus could be the same person as the divine Christ. For the false teachers this proposition was unacceptable, since it was radically in conflict with their gnostic philosophy (compare Introduction pages 3 and following). But for John it was the main and crucial point of the Christian faith. Everyone who denied it could not be but a liar in his eyes.

This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son: in this sentence this, taking up “the liar,” points forward to he who denies … the Son. A more common sentence structure would be “he who denies the Father and the Son is the antichrist.” The present structure has probably been chosen to bring the opposites “Christ” and antichrist close to one another, and thus to stress the contrast.

The proposition stated here is closely related to that in the preceding clause. In combination the two clauses serve to say that denying Christ’s true humanity is denying God as the Father of Jesus Christ. This is so because the Father of Jesus Christ is a God who does not wish to remain detached from this material world but is ready to be involved in it in order to save humanity.

He who denies that …: what is denied here is not a statement, as in the preceding clause, but persons. With a personal object, the verb has the meaning “not to acknowledge allegiance to” (as in Luke 12.9) or “not to acknowledge/accept a person for what he is” (in this and the next clause). Some of the renderings used here are “to reject” (Good News Translation), “to disown” (Goodspeed), ‘to say “no” about,’ or, more descriptively, ‘to declare one does not believe in.’ In one receptor language a literal rendering of the verb would suggest falsehood on the part of the person who denies; hence ‘he does not recognize the Father….’

The Father and the Son. Since denying the Son is the cause, and denying the Father the result, one would expect the Son to be mentioned first. The reverse sequence has probably been chosen in order to stress the dreadful consequences of this false christology. It is to bring out that man’s relationship with God himself is at stake. For the Father see comments on 1.2.

† For the Son see comments on “his Son” in 1.3, and on “the Son of God” in 3.8. Just as the Father, the word functions as a proper name. It may have to be marked as such, for example, by the use of a name qualifier. In some receptor languages it is preferable or obligatory to use a possessive form, ‘his Son,’ or ‘the/that Father’s Son.’ Other occurrences of the Son are 2.23-24; 5.12; 2 John 9.

Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The First Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 John 2:22

Paragraph 2:22–25

Read 2:22–25 in both Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation. Compare the two versions.

Paragraph Theme: On the basis of the reassurance he has just given in 2:18–21, John here urges his readers to reject false teaching and to live according to God’s truth.

2:22a

Who is the liar: (Rhetorical Question) This is a rhetorical question used for emphasis. John is stating emphatically that the worst possible lie is that Jesus was not the Christ. This is what those people who had left the church were teaching. In your translation you may need to turn this into an emphatic statement, as The Jerusalem Bible has done. See the Display.

the one who: (Meaning) This is not referring to a particular man but rather to anyone or everyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ.

the Christ: (Biblical Term) Here Christ is not just a name. It is the title or description of the one who God would send from heaven to save and rule his people. It is the same as the title “Messiah.”

2:22b

This is the antichrist: (Logical Relationship) John is saying that if someone denies that Jesus is the Christ, he is making himself an enemy of Christ just like that enemy of Christ who will come at the end of the world.

who denies the Father…: (Logical Relationship) This shows how we know that such a person is the enemy of Christ. When he denies that Jesus is the Christ he is also denying that Jesus is God’s son, and so he is rejecting God the Father also.

denies: (Multiple Senses) In the first use of denies in this verse (“denies that Jesus is the Christ”), it means he “says that it is not true that Jesus is the Christ.” In 2:22b (“he denies the Father and the Son”), it means he “refuses to accept the Father and the Son.” It is used again in this sense in the next verse.

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