sign

The Greek that is typically translated in English as “sign” is translated in Huehuetla Tepehua as “thing to be marveled at” (source: Larson 1889, p. 279) and in Mairasi as “big work” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

signs and wonders

The now commonly-used German idiom Zeichen und Wunder (literally “signs and wonders”), which today is primarily used with the meaning that something unexpected happens against rational expectations, was coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 90)

For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

miracle, miraculous power

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The Greek and Hebrew that are often translated as “miracles” or “miraculous powers” into English are translated as “thing which no one has ever seen before” (San Blas Kuna), “thing marveled at” (Tepeuxila Cuicatec), “breathtaking thing” (Ngäbere), “long-necked thing” (referring to the onlookers who stretch their necks to see) (Huautla Mazatec), “sign done by God’s power” (Mossi), “supernatural power” (Javanese), “thing that has heaven-strength” (Highland Totonac) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida), “amazing thing” (Muna) (source: René van den Berg), “sign no one else could do” (Tenango Otomi) (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), or “impossible thing” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).

See also wonder.

wonder

The Greek that is often translated as “wonder” into English is different from the term that is translated as “miracle” (see miracle) since it “usually involves some unusual phenomena in nature which are a portent of dire woe or extraordinary blessing.” In Huichol these are “awe-inspiring things,” in Yucateco they are “things which show what is coming,” and in Eastern Highland Otomi the expression must be cast into the form of a verb phrase “they will amaze the people.”

complete verse (2 Corinthians 12:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 12:12:

  • Uma: “While I was with you, I did signs that made-clear that I was really the Lord Yesus’s apostle. I was patient working in difficulties, I did amazing signs and powerful things with strength from God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When I was there with you before, you saw that it is true I was really commissioned by Jesus Christ because of my doings/work. No matter what opposed me, I just endured it, and you could see the signs I did, the deeds that cause-wonder and the powerful (supernatural) deeds.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when I was there with you, I showed you that I’m a true apostle of Christ because even though I was in difficulty, I endured it, so that I might be able to show signs and miracles which are the sign of a true apostle.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because you have seen that I am truly an apostle because of the signs and other amazing manifestations of God’s power that I have been-patient to do while I was staying-with you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Truly I am testifying that, when I was there with you, you comprehended that, as for me, (I am) a true/genuine apostle because of the signs and amazing things that God was causing-me -to-do. I kept on doing all these things with a good mind/inner-being enduring the hardships that were happening to me.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When I was there where you live in order to speak the word, it was clearly seen that I was Christ’s representative. In the work I did for Christ I patiently endured all that those people said. And those miracles I did, made it plain that I was Christ’s representative.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:12

The signs of a true apostle: the Greek word which Revised Standard Version translates as signs occurs twice in this verse. But the first occurrence of this noun appears to have a more general meaning and may be translated as “the marks of a true apostle” (so Martin, New English Bible), that is, “the signs that mark out a true apostle.”

The Greek does not state directly who performed among the Corinthians The signs of a true apostle, though the context indicates that the subject of the action was Paul himself. Good News Translation does not directly say that Paul himself performed the miracles and wonders that prove he is an apostle, though Good News Bible does show that the true apostle refers to Paul himself. Revised English Bible makes explicit that Paul was the subject of the action: “The signs of an apostle were there in the work I did among you.” Contemporary English Version says “When I was with you, I was patient and worked all the powerful miracles and signs and wonders of a true apostle.”

A true apostle is literally only “an apostle.” However, nearly all translations insert the word true, since the context indicates that Paul is contrasting the work of true apostles with the work of those who are only “false apostles.”

On the translation of apostle, see 1.1.

In all patience: most interpreters understand these words to be stating the manner in which Paul performed signs of an apostle (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). It is also possible to understand these words as parallel to and included in the series of signs, wonders, and mighty works, as does New Jerusalem Bible: “All the marks … have been at work among you: complete perseverance, signs, marvels, demonstrations of power.” Though the interpretation reflected in New Jerusalem Bible is grammatically possible, most interpreters follow the alternative interpretation found in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. In all patience, then, expresses the manner in which the signs of an apostle were performed; and the words with signs and wonders and mighty works express the means by which the signs were performed.

With signs and wonders and mighty works: are these three items miracles that were performed along with, that is, in addition to, the signs of a true apostle (Revised Standard Version)? The Greek does not have the separate word with, but the sentence allows for its translation in English. Or are they simply an elaboration or explanation of what the signs of a true apostle are (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible)? New International Version follows the latter interpretation and says “The things that mark an apostle-signs, wonders and miracles-were done among you.” See also Moffatt, which is similar to New International Version.

According to the interpretation reflected in Good News Translation, Paul claims that the miracles he performed prove that he is a true apostle. Perhaps the implication is that the “superapostles” do not perform such miracles and are not, therefore, true apostles. But to claim that miracles are the signs of a true apostle seems to contradict what Paul says in chapters 11–13, so the Good News Bible translation should probably not be followed.

According to Revised Standard Version the signs and wonders and mighty works (12.12b) are not equated with the signs of a true apostle (12.12a); rather such miracles were performed in addition to the signs of a true apostle. The grammatical construction in Greek favors this interpretation. Perhaps the “superapostles” perform miracles, but they do not have the signs of the true apostle as Paul does.

The three terms signs, wonders, and mighty works, should not be pushed to find three different kinds of miracles. Probably these words indicate three different ways of looking at miracles: signs refers to the ability of the miracle to increase spiritual understanding by pointing to a spiritual reality; wonders refers to the sense of awe which the miracle creates; and mighty works refers the fact that these are acts of God. The first two terms occur frequently together (Mark 13.22; John 4.48; Rom 15.9; 1 Thes 2.9; and several times in Acts). And all three terms occur together in Heb 2.4.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .