sister

The Greek 2 John 1:13 that is translated as “sister” in English is rendered “elder sister” in Kahua because the church associated with the apostle John was assumed to be senior.

See also sister (younger sister).

complete verse (2 John 1:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 John 1:13:

  • Uma: “Many greetings from all the children of your (sing.) female relative here, who is chosen by God. Finish here.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The children of your sibling send word that they love/remember you. Wassalam” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The children of your sister here who are also chosen by God send you greetings.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The children of the woman who is your (sing.) sibling/cousin whom God also chose greet you (pl.). Only this is what I am able to say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You (sing.) are greeted by the children of your (sing.) sister who also has been chosen by God like you (sing.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Also greeting you are the sons of our sister who also is chosen by God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The children of your sister, greet you. Your sister also and her children have been chosen and God has saved them. Amen.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “They send their greetings the children of your sister (a woman’s sister), she also chosen of God. This is what I tell you now.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “The children of your sister (term for spiritual sister, not relative) whom God chose send greetings to you (sg.). Amen.”
  • Garifuna: “Your (younger) sister’s children/offspring greet you, the one (feminine) whom God chose. Here is the end of my writing to you. (A closing greeting that is used in the culture).” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on 2 John 1:13

The children of your elect sister: this phrase refers to the members of a sister congregation, that is, the congregation from which John is writing (compare 2 John 1.1). Here again it will be safer to translate the text literally and give the explanation in a footnote.

Your elect sister may have to be restructured; for example, ‘your sister, the elect one,’ or ‘the elect lady, (who is) your sister.’ For elect see comments on 2 John 1.1; for problems when rendering “sister” compare comments on its masculine counterpart, “brother,” in 2.9.

Greet you: the Greek uses here its common verb for “to greet,” not the compound expression occurring in verses 10-11. In the receptor language, however, renderings of the two terms usually coincide.

Some receptor languages possess a specific formula of greeting to be used in letter writing; for example, ‘their inner-being makes mention of you.’ Compare also the English expressions “wish to be remembered to you” and “send you their greetings,” used here by Goodspeed and Good News Translation.

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

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 John 1:13

13a

children…sister: (Discourse Feature) John is using these terms in the same way that he used “lady” and “children” in verse 1. See the note on verse 1. Here these terms refer to the church and its members in the place where John was.

elect: (Passive Construction) As in verse 1, this is referring to the fact that God has chosen this “sister” to be among his people.

13b

send you greetings: (Pronoun Reference) The you here is singular, referring to the lady.

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