The Greek and Latin that is translated as “resurrection” in English is translated in Chicahuaxtla Triqui and Pohnpeian as “live-up” (i.e. return to life) (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel) and in Iloko as panagungar: a term that stems “from the word ‘agungar,’ an agricultural term used to describe the coming back to life of a plant which was wilting but which has been watered by the farmer, or of a bulb which was apparently dead but grows again.” (Source: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
Likewise, in Matumbiyu’ya carries the meaning of “raise from the dead, resuscitate, come back from near death” and is used for dry plants that come back to life when you water them or sick children who revive after being healed. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Estado de México Otomi, it is translated as “people will be raised from the dead,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “the dead having to come to life again,” in San Mateo del Mar Huave as “arose from the grave” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), and in Kriol as gidap laibala brom dedbala or “get up alive from the dead” (source: Sam Freney in this article .)
“know something is true because of seeing it” in Teutila Cuicatec (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
“ones who will confirm that these-things that you have seen are true” in Kankanaey (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
“ones who are to testify about these things, because it all happened before your eyes” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Following is a Greek Orthodox icon of Jesus’ baptism from the late 13th century (found in Sinai Monastery).
Source
(for this and other historical icons of the baptism of Jesus)
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
For contemporary icons depicting Jesus baptism see here .
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 1:22:
Uma: “From there, Petrus continued his speech, he said: ‘Relatives, that is why there must be one from among us whom we choose to become a witness along with us, witnessing to the living again of Lord Yesus. That person whom we choose, must be one who was usually with us from-the-start when Lord Yesus walked around with us, beginning with the work of Yohanes the Baptizer until the lifting-up of our Lord from our midst.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘That’s why,’ Petros said, ‘another one must be titled/given the rank caused-to-be-together-with us (incl.) in witnessing/testifying that Isa our (incl.) Leader is now alive again. He must be a person who has been together with us (incl.) during the time we (incl.) journeyed with Isa, starting when Yahiya bathed until the day Isa was caused to ascend to heaven.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore,’ said Peter, ‘it is necessary for one to be chosen who can be added to us eleven apostles. It is necessary that he was one of our companions in our going around with our (incl.) Lord Jesus beginning with John’s baptizing until Jesus was taken up to heaven, because it is necessary that he is able to join in with us in testifying about the resurrection of Jesus,’ said Peter.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So it-is-necessary that we choose a replacement for Judas so-that someone will join us (excl.) in confirming/verifying the living again of the Lord Jesus. The one we choose must have been-accompanying us (excl.) continuously when Jesus was with us, starting-from when-Juan -was-baptizing until Jesus’ being-raised to heaven.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “from the baptizing by Juan till Jesus returned to heaven, for he will be included in our (excl.) number who are testifiers of the returning to life again of this Jesus.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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 attendees of the meeting who were not disciples).
In Huautla Mazatec, however, the translators selected the inclusive pronoun.
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Peter feels as if it is necessary (must of the Good News Translation translates here the same word as had to translates in verse 16) for someone from their larger group to join the group of the apostles and to assume the place Judas held. Must join us is often rendered as “must become one of us,” “must become one with us,” or “must become one of our group.”
The nominal phrase a witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus may need to be shifted to a verbal expression, for example, “who will witness to the people that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead.” In some languages this must even be put into a form of direct discourse, for example, “say to the people, We know that the Lord Jesus arose from the dead.”
During the whole time that the Lord Jesus traveled about with us translates the Greek phrase “during the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” “To go in and out among” is simply a Semitic idiom meaning “to live or be with someone.”
The Greek expression “from the baptism of John” is translated by the Good News Translationfrom the time John preached his baptism. The phrase itself can have more than one interpretation, and may have reference either to the time when John began his ministry (as Good News Translation) or else to the time that Jesus was baptized by John. The parallel account in 10.37 tends to support the TEV interpretation.
The expression of duration of time, for example, beginning from the time … until the day is not always easy. In some languages one can only represent this as a continuous event, for example, “he must have been with us when John was preaching about his baptism and he must have remained with us until the day Jesus….”
As noted above (v. 9), the passive expression was taken up may have to be shifted to an active, for example, “God took Jesus up.” (See also 1.2a and 1.9.)
In the choice of a word for Lord it is important to avoid a mere title of respect. Rather, one should have some expression which will indicate the power to command and the corresponding obligation to obey, for example, “our chief,” or “the one who orders us.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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