brotherly love

The Greek that is translated in English as “brotherly love” (also: “mutual love” and others) is translated in Waama as “love each other as children of the same mother.” Like many languages, Waama has no generic term for “brother” and sister, just “older brother” or “younger brother.” At first, “love each other as children of the same father” seemed to fit but since the Waama live in a polygamous society, brothers of the same father with different mothers often don’t get along unlike maternal siblings. (Source: Kathrin Pope in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 54)

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated with geschwisterliche Liebe or “love between siblings.”

complete verse (2 Peter 1:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Peter 1:7:

  • Uma: “and love your one-faith relatives. And to that love for your one-faith relatives add on also loving all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You should love your fellow trusters in Isa Almasi and even those people who do not trust.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for that also, we will draw it tight by showing kindness to each other, and as for our showing kindness to each other, we will draw it tight also by loving our companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and your godly character, you are also to add to it love for your siblings/cousins (henceforth brothers) who believe. Finally, add to that-aforementioned love of yours love for all people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And not to be left behind by us is the habit of helping one another like one brotherhood, and always truly valuing one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And do not just do the will of God, love your brethren. And do not just love your brethren, love all the rest of the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Peter 1:7

Brotherly affection is used many times in the New Testament. In secular usage this word was used to describe affection between brothers and sisters and other family members. Later on it was used to describe a person’s concern for his or her own nation (for example, Jeremiah in relation to the Israelites, 2 Maccabees 15.14). In the New Testament, and among Christians, the word came to mean affection between fellow believers, including sympathetic concern for others and the care of those in need. Other ways to translate this term are “love and affection for your fellow Christians” or “concern for one another as brothers and sisters ought to have for each other.” Some languages will have a special word for love and affection of brothers and sisters for each other. That is the term to use here.

The last thing on the list is love, which appears also in other New Testament lists (2 Cor 6.6; Gal 5.22; Eph 4.2; 1 Tim 4.12; 6.11; 2 Tim 2.22; 3.10; Titus 2.2; Rev 2.19; and so on). As contrasted with brotherly affection, love is first of all not limited to family members or to fellow believers but is universal in scope and has as its object all people. Secondly, love is unmotivated, that is, it doesn’t expect anything in return, whereas brotherly affection has the element of a mutual love, which will be returned by the other person. Love in this context, then, is not referring to “love for God” but “love for others” and should be translated in this way. In certain languages love will be expressed using bodily parts such as the heart or liver; for example, “heart is warm towards,” “hold other people in one’s heart,” or “stomach moves for others.”

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

SIL Translation Notes on 2 Peter 1:7

1:7a

brotherly kindness: This is one word in Greek. It refers to how brothers and sisters of the same family love each other and show that they care about each other. Christians in Peter’s time used it also to refer to how Christians loved other Christians.

1:7b

love: The Greek word Peter used here means “love” for all people, not only for families and other Christians.

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