21unless it was this one sentence that I called out while standing before them, ‘It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’ ”
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. )
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 .)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 24:21:
Uma: “Only one word of mine they took-offense-at. While I stood in their midst, when I said loudly like this: ‘The reason I am being examined here, is because I believe that dead people will live again.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because they don’t know of any sin (that I have done) except perhaps while standing before them, I said hep, ‘The reason I am judged/tried by you this moment is because I believe that the dead will be caused to live again.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because there is nothing that they know about except that which I shouted out to them when I said, ‘The only thing that you are accusing me of today is my belief that sometime in the future the dead would be raised.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because while I was there, I raised (lit. made-strong) my voice saying, ‘I believe that the dead will live again. That is the reason why you are trying me today,’ I said only to them there.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “All that I said was, speaking loudly, when I was there in their presence, ‘I am being interrogated today here in your presence because I am sure that God will make alive those who have died.”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)