salvation

Click here to view graphically

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated with “salvation” (or “deliverance”) in English is translated in the following ways:

  • San Blas Kuna: “receive help for bad deeds” (“this help is not just any kind of help but help for the soul which has sinned)
  • Northwestern Dinka: “help as to his soul” (“or literally, ‘his breath'”) (source for this and the one above: Nida 1952, p. 140)
  • Central Mazahua: “healing the heart” (source: Nida 1952, p. 40)
  • Tzeltal: col: “get loose,” “go free,” “get well” (source: Marianna C. Slocum in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 49f. )
  • Aari: “the day our Savior comes” (in Rom 13:11) (source: Loren Bliese)

in Mairasi its is translated as “life fruit” or “life fruit all mashed out.” Lloyd Peckham explains: “In secret stories, not knowable to women nor children, there was a magical fruit of life. If referred to vaguely, without specifying the specific ‘fruit,’ it can be an expression for eternity.” And for “all masked out” he explains: “Bark cloth required pounding. It got longer and wider as it got pounded. Similarly, life gets pounded or mashed to lengthen it into infinity. Tubers also get mashed into the standard way of serving the staple food, like the fufu of Uganda, or like poi of Hawaii. It spreads out into infinity.” (See also eternity / forever)

In Lisu a poetic construct is used for this term. Arrington (2020, p. 58f.) explains: “A four-word couplet uses Lisu poetic forms to bridge the abstract concrete divide, an essential divide to cross if Christian theology is to be understood by those with oral thought patterns. Each couplet uses three concrete nouns or verbs to express an abstract term. An example of this is the word for salvation, a quite abstract term essential to understanding Christian theology. To coin this new word, the missionary translators used a four-word couplet: ℲO., CYU. W: CYU (person … save … person … save). In this particular case, the word for person was not the ordinary word (ʁ) but rather the combination of ℲO., and W: used in oral poetry. The word for ‘save’ also had to be coined; in this case, it was borrowed from Chinese [from jiù / 救]. These aspects of Lisu poetry, originally based on animism, likely would have been lost as Lisu society encountered communism and modernization. Yet they are now codified in the Lisu Bible as well as the hymnbook.”

In the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) it is translated with chipulumutso which is used to refer to an act of helping someone who is in problems but cannot help him/herself come out of the problems because of weakness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also save and save (Japanese honorifics) / salvation (of God) (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (1 Peter 2:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 2:2:

  • Uma: “Like a baby that is just born desires milk [lit., breast water], you also must desire the food of your souls, that is the Word of the Lord. So that from the Word of the Lord your spiritual life [lit., life of your soul] will grow stronger-and-stronger and more-and-more-mature/clear.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I compare you to newborn children. A newly born child always wants to suck at its mother and then it grows. Like that also should be your desire to listen to the word/message of God so that your trust in God grows-strong and you will be saved.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Let us be like a child still sucking who always wants milk. It’s necessary that we are always drinking the milk which is the pure Word of God, so that our faith might always be becoming strong until the time in the future when God makes us immortal.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You can-be-compared to recently-born babies, so you should follow-the-example of a baby who desires to nurse continually. You should thirst-for spiritual (naispiritoan) milk which is the true word of God in order that you will grow-up (lit. become-large) in your faith until your salvation is fulfilled.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Think about (lit. walk your mind over) the nature/ways of a baby who is always wanting to nurse. Well hopefully, you will be like that too, that you are always wanting to study the word of God, his word which is wholly truth, so that you who are his children will grow/become-strong, for your believing/obeying will increase, until (the time) is reached when you will be saved in heaven.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Babies who have recently been born want milk in order to strengthen their bodies. Do likewise, wanting the word of God which is mixed in order to strengthen your liver/spirits. More and more you should understand the word until your redemption is finished.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Peter 2:2

The mention of newborn babies carries the reader back to the idea of new birth which Peter has already mentioned in 1.3 and 1.23. The Greek word for babies is used of infants who have just been recently born (compare Luke 2.12, 16, where the same word is used to refer to the newly born Jesus, and in 1 Thes 2.7, where it is used metaphorically, as here).

This metaphorical expression may be understood in two ways. On the one hand, it could mean that Peter’s readers are very recent converts; the possibility is even suggested that they have just been baptized. On the other hand, it could be that Peter is here echoing a prevailing idea in the New Testament, which is that a believer is always like a child, and therefore can be spoken of as recently born. Most translations preserve the ambiguity, but the Good News Translation, by rendering it in the imperative, seems to lean towards the second of these two alternatives.

In translating metaphors, one must be aware of three factors: the image, the topic, and the ground of comparison. This third factor is a particular trait or characteristic of the image which is applied to the topic. Here the image is newborn babies, the topic, Peter’s readers, and the ground of comparison is the newborn baby’s longing for milk. Some translations make this ground explicit, for example, Barclay “As newly-born children want nothing but their mother’s milk, so you must set your heart on the pure milk….” It is of course possible that in the figurative expression newborn babies there is the implication of innocence, since newborn babies are not in a position to engage in lying, hypocrisy, jealousy, and insulting language, but clearly the most immediate basis of comparison is the behavior of newborn children who want their mother’s milk.

The word translated always thirsty (literally “long for”) is a word which expresses intense, passionate, and strong desire for something. Many translators retain the imperative here (Revised Standard Version “long for”; Also Barclay above). This seems better, since emphasis is placed on the ground of comparison, and not on the image. The readers are not commanded to be like newborn babies, but rather to be thirsty always for spiritual milk, in the same way that newborn babies are always thirsty for their mother’s milk.

What does pure spiritual milk refer to? The clue to interpreting this metaphor is how one understands the word translated spiritual. This word (Greek logikos) is used only here and in Romans 12.1, and can be rendered in three ways: (1) “Of the word” that is, the word of God, or the Gospel, referred to in the previous section (1.23-25). Some scholars and translations opt for this alternative (for example, Barclay “the pure milk that flows from the word of God”; Kelly “the milk of the word”). (2) “Rational,” which is the common way the term is used in classical Greek literature, particularly among the Stoic philosophers. (3) “Spiritual.” Most commentaries and translations follow this interpretation. The milk spoken of is a figure referring not to physical milk which nourishes the body, but spiritual milk, which is nourishment for one’s spiritual existence. This is further explained in the last part of the verse: the readers are to drink of this spiritual milk in order that they may grow up and be saved (literally “grow up into salvation”). “Salvation” here can either refer to spiritual development and maturity in this life, or be taken eschatologically, as the full blessedness which God will bestow at the end of time, when Christ comes again (1.5, 7). The first of these two alternatives goes more naturally with grow up; however, the eschatological tone of the letter gives credence also to the second interpretation.

If one understands the Greek term logikos as referring to the word of God, it may be necessary to introduce a simile, for example, “always thirsty for the pure milk which may be likened to the word of God.” If, however, one interprets spiritual as being related to a person’s spirit, then it may be necessary to say “always thirsty for pure milk,” that is, milk for one’s spirit.

The expression of means indicated by the phrase by drinking it may be related to the result in a somewhat different way than is suggested by the Good News Translation. For example, one may translate so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved as “so that you may drink it and thus you may grow up and be saved.”

Grow up is of course not a reference to physical growth but to spiritual growth, and therefore it is possible to render the phrase in some instances as “to grow up in your spirits” or even “to grow up in relation to God.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 2:2

2:2

Peter used the desire that newborn babies have for their mothers’ milk as an illustration. He told the believers to desire God’s word in the same way that babies desire their mothers’ milk. In this way they would continue to grow strong as Christians until they experienced the final salvation God had for them.

2:2a

Like newborn babies: This is a simile. Peter was saying that his readers should have a strong desire for God’s word, just as babies have a strong desire for their mother’s milk.

newborn babies: This is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as newborn is used. Its use here probably implies that the babies in Peter’s illustration had no other food and wanted no other food. Those who are newborn babies are completely dependent on their mothers’ milk.

babies: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as babies refers to very small children. Several English versions translate it as “infants.” For example, the NET Bible says:

yearn like newborn infants for… (NET Bible)

If your language has a word or expression referring to babies in the first few weeks of their life, you may be able to use it here. In that case it may not be necessary to translate newborn separately and explicitly.

crave pure spiritual milk: The phrase crave pure spiritual milk describes how Peter wanted his readers to be like newborn babies. The pure spiritual milk is a metaphor for God’s word. Peter wanted them to crave it.

crave: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as crave is a command meaning “desire.” Other ways to translate this include:

Be…thirsty for (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
long for (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
yearn…for (NET Bible)

The Greek text has a definite article that is not explicit in the Berean Standard Bible. Many English versions do make it explicit. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

long for the pure spiritual milk

Consider if it is natural in your language to make the definite article explicit in this context. In some language doing so may help show that the pure spiritual milk is a metaphor.

pure: The Greek adjective that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pure can means “sincere” or “without deceit.” As a description of milk, it can be translated as “unadulterated,” that is, not watered down. As a description of God’s word, it can be translated as:

truthful

Consider if there is a word in your language that could cover both ideas. If not, you will have to choose between describing the metaphor (milk) or the topic the metaphor represents (God’s word).

spiritual milk: There is a play on words here. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spiritual is from a root meaning “word.” Peter was implying that the spiritual milk was a figure of speech referring to the word of God.

milk: Here, milk refers to a mother’s milk. It represents food that is nourishing and life-giving, and it is a metaphor for God’s word. If you make this explicit, you may want to consider how you translated “the word of God” and “the word of the Lord” at 1:23b and 1:25a. See the General Comment below for more information.

General Comment on 2:2a

In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit something of the meaning of the metaphor in 2:2a. There are various ways of doing this. For example:

Desire God’s pure word as newborn babies desire milk. (God’s Word)
-or-
As newborn babies want milk, you should want the pure and simple teaching. (New Century Version)

2:2b

so that by it you may grow up: Peter wanted his readers to desire God’s word (2:2a) so that they would continue to listen to it and/or read it. In this way they would receive spiritual nourishment and become strong and mature believers.

so that: The Greek preposition that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that introduces the purpose for desiring (and therefore receiving) spiritual milk. Here is another way to translate this:

Then (God’s Word)

by it: God’s word/teaching was to be the means by which Peter’s readers received their spiritual food. Peter was implying that because they desired God’s word, the believers would actually hear and read it. The Good News Translation has made this explicit by including drinking as part of the milk metaphor:

so that by drinking it you may grow up (Good News Translation)

you may grow up: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you may grow up is a form of a Greek verb that could mean grow or “increase” or “spread.” It can also be translated as “thrive.” For example:

so that you may thrive on it (Revised English Bible)

Peter was not telling his readers that they would grow up and no longer need the milk of God’s word. In Peter’s metaphor, all Christians remain babies who continue to need the nourishment of this milk in order to grow. Peter wanted his readers to continue to feed on God’s word and grow until their final salvation.

The way you translate this may depend on what sounds natural in your language. Some ways to say this include:

you will ⌊drink⌋ it and grow
-or-
it will nourish you
-or-
that by ⌊continuing to drink⌋ it you will thrive
-or-
that will help you grow (Contemporary English Version)

in your salvation: There are two ways of interpreting the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in your salvation :

(1) It means “resulting in your salvation”; that is, towards the goal of receiving final salvation from God. For example:

grow and be saved (Contemporary English Version)

(Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Revised Standard Version)

(2) It means “in or in regards to your salvation,” that is, it refers to becoming a strong and mature believer. For example:

grow into a full experience of salvation (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New International Version, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Peter was probably talking about the same salvation he referred to in 1:5. This is the salvation when God will deliver believers from all sin and suffering.

your salvation: In some languages it may be necessary to translate the abstract noun salvation as a verb:

you may…be saved (Good News Translation)
-or-

⌊God⌋ may/will save you

© 2018 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.