truth

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is usually translated in English as “truth” is translated in Luchazi with vusunga: “the quality of being straight” (source: E. Pearson in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 160ff. ), in Obolo as atikọ or “good/correct talk” (source: Enene Enene), and in Ekari as maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (esp. in John 14:6 and 17; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).

The translation committee of the Malay “Good News Bible” (Alkitab Berita Baik, see here ) wrestled with the translation of “truth” in the Gospel of John (for more information click or tap here):

“Our Malay Committee also concluded that ‘truth’ as used in the Gospel of John was used either of God himself, or of God’s revelation of himself, or in an extended sense as a reference to those who had responded to God’s self-disclosure. In John 8:32 the New Malay translation reads ‘You will know the truth about God, and the truth about God will make you free.’ In John 8:44 this meaning is brought out by translating, ‘He has never been on the side of God, because there is no truth in him.’ Accordingly Jesus ‘tells the truth about God’ in 8:45, 46 (see also 16:7 and 8:37a). Then, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ becomes ‘I am the one who leads men to God, the one who reveals who and what God is, and the one who gives men life.” At 3:21 the translation reads ” … whoever obeys the truth, that is God himself, comes to the light …’; 16:13a appears as ‘he will lead you into the full truth about God’; and in 18:37 Jesus affirms ‘I came into the world to reveal the truth about God, and whoever obeys God listens to me.’ On this basis also 1:14 was translated ‘we saw his glory, the glory which he had as the Father’s only Son. Through him God has completely revealed himself (truth) and his love for us (grace)’; and 1:17 appears as ‘God gave the law through Moses; but through Jesus Christ he has completely revealed himself (truth) and his love for us (grace).'” (Source: Barclay Newman in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 432ff. )

Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) tells of the translation into Kui which usually is “true-thing.” In some instances however, such as in the second part of John 17:17 (“your word is truth” in English), the use of “true-thing” indicated that there might be other occasions when it’s not true, so here the translation was a a form of “pure, holy.”

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (3John 1:12)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the reader).

Source: SIL International Translation Department (1999).

complete verse (3 John 1:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of 3 John 1:12:

  • Uma: “As for Demetrius [emphatic], all people praise him. He is indeed fit to be praised, for his behavior follows the true teaching. We(excl.), we (excl.) also praise him, and you know that our (excl.) praise is true.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “All people talk well about Demetiri. And because of his good deeds it is also seen that he follows the true teaching. I join in witnessing for him and you know that my witness is true.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “All people praise Demetrius. They can see by means of his acts that he is obeying the true doctrine. We also praise him, and you know that what we say is true.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for Demetrius, what people are saying about him is totally good. His manner-of-life also, it confirms his goodness, because what he is doing is in harmony with the true teaching. We (excl.) also, we (excl.) confirm/recommend him to you, and you (sing.) know that what we (excl.) say is true.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, concerning our brother in believing who is Demetrio, everybody is testifying concerning the good-quality of his work/doing. Because it’s clear from his life that he really is obeying well the true teaching. Well including us (excl.) also, like that too is our (excl.) testimony concerning him, and you know that this which we (excl.) mean is true.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All the people speak well of Demetrius and it is true what I hear spoken of him. We also give our testimony that he lives good and you all know that it is true when we say something.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “Everyone speaks well of Demetrio. It is obvious that he walks with the truth (heeds/obeys it). We (ex) also tell how he does what is good. And you know that we (ex) speak true words.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “All the siblings speak well of Demetrio, and all his deeds are in accord with the true Word. Also I say the same about the man, that he is good. And you know that I speak the truth.”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “Everyone praises Demetrio, and we know he follows what is true. We (ex) also praise him, and you know what we (ex) speak is true.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on 3 John 1:12

Has testimony from every one, that is, ‘is well spoken of (or is approved) by everyone.’ This is a passive form of the verb usually rendered “to testify” (see comments on 3 John 1.3), with a decidedly favorable connotation. The perfect tense has the same force as in the preceding clause.

Every one, or ‘all men,’ probably refers only to the Christians.

The next part of the verse mentions two other witnesses who are speaking well of Demetrius, namely, the truth and the writer himself. This is done to complete the number of three witnesses, in accordance with the rule of Jewish law quoted in the note on 1 John 5.8.

From the truth: the noun is used here in the sense of “truthful behavior,” “a life in accordance with God’s will,” see 1 John 1.6, and compare 2 John 4 and 3 John 3. The phrase goes with the preceding verb.

In Greek it is possible to say that truth is “giving testimony” or “speaking well” of a person. The same seems to be the case in several receptor languages, but in others it may be impossible. Then one will have to adjust the phrase, saying, for example, ‘truth itself proves this (or gives proof about him),’ ‘his true behavior is in accordance with it (or shows him to be good).’

I testify to him too, that is, ‘I also speak well of him.’ The verb is the same as in verse 12a and has the same favorable connotation, but the form used is the present tense and in the active voice. This is to show that the present testimony or praise supports what previously has been said by others. I testify in the Greek is literally “we testify.” The plural pronoun is often used in letter writing with reference to the writer; hence Revised Standard Version‘s I. But it can also refer here to the writer and his friends. The latter interpretation seems to be slightly more probable; compare verse 15. The same holds true for my testimony, literally “our testimony,” in the next clause.

You know my testimony is true, or ‘you know that you can rely on what I say.’ By stating that the testimony is in keeping with fact, the clause stresses the trustworthiness of the writer’s words, just as this expression does in John 21.24, and in a similar one in John 19.35.

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

SIL Translator's Notes on 3 John 1:12

12a

Demetrius: (New Participant) This is not the same Demetrius as in Acts 19:24. He is someone who John is introducing to Gaius.

everyone: (Figure of Speech) This is an exaggeration. John means everyone in the church, or everyone who knew Demetrius, not everyone everywhere.

12b

from the truth itself: (Figure of Speech) Here John personifies God’s truth as a person who speaks well about Demetrius. He means that Demetrius puts God’s truth into practice in his life and this shows that he is a good person.

12c–d

We…our: (Pronoun Reference) John is again referring to himself. See New English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Living Bible. See also the note on verse 9.

12d

our testimony: (Meaning) This means whatever John says about anyone, including what he says about Demetrius.

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