Acts 7:48 – TIPs

Most High

The Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
Palantla Chinantec “the Big God Himself”
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)

Language: Chichimeca-Jonaz · Eastern Highland Otomi · Estado de México Otomi · Isthmus Mixe · Palantla Chinantec · Sa'a · San Mateo Del Mar Huave · Teutila Cuicatec · Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac

does not dwell in houses made with hands

The Greek that is translated as “does not dwell in houses made with hands” in English is translated in does not dwell in Palantla Chinantec as “it isn’t as though men are capable of building a house where he will live,” in Tenango Otomi as “doesn’t reside in churches made by people,” in Lalana Chinantec as “it isn’t a house that people made where God lives. He lives up in heaven,” in Morelos Nahuatl as “does not really live in churches that we made with our hands,” and in Teutila Cuicatec as “it is not necessary for God….to live inside churches that people build.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

Language: Lalana Chinantec · Morelos Nahuatl · Palantla Chinantec · Tenango Otomi · Teutila Cuicatec

complete verse (Acts 7:48)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:48:

Uma: “‘But actually the God does not live in a house made by men. For his power surpasses all that is worshipped. There was a prophet long ago who said like this:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘But the God Most High,’ Estepan said, ‘does not live in houses made by humans. A prophet wrote what God said. He said,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Stephen said, ‘In spite of that, the highest God, he does not just live in a house built by people, because the prophet wrote saying,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘But the highest/greatest God, what he dwells-in is not a house that people build, because one of God’s spokesmen back then said,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Even though this God the Highest/Most-important gave permission, of course he doesn’t live in a house just made by man, just as if he was human/man. For it’s like what was said by a prophet in the past, saying,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Language: Kankanaey · Tagbanwa · Uma · Western Bukidnon Manobo · Yakan

prophet

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Eugene Nida wrote the following about the translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are typically translated with “prophet” in English:

“The tendency in many translations is to use ‘to foretell the future’ for ‘prophesy,’ and ‘one who foretells the future’ for ‘prophet.’ This is not always a recommended usage, particularly if such expressions denote certain special native practices of spirit contact and control. It is true, of course, that prophets of the Bible did foretell the future, but this was not always their principal function. One essential significance of the Greek word prophētēs is ‘one who speaks forth,’ principally, of course, as a forth-teller of the Divine will. A translation such as ‘spokesman for God’ may often be employed profitably.” (1947, p. 234f.)

Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap for details):

San Blas Kuna: “one who speaks the voice of God”
Central Pame and Vai: “interpreter for God”
Kaqchikel, Navajo, Yaka: “one who speaks for God”
Northern Grebo: “God’s town crier” (see more about this below)
Sapo: “God’s sent-word person”
Shipibo-Conibo, Ngäbere: “one who speaks God’s word”
Copainalá Zoque: “one who speaks-opens” (a compound meaning “one who discloses or reveals”)
Sierra Totonac: “one who causes them to know” (in the sense of “revealer”)
Batak Toba: “foreteller” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1961, p. 7)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “one who is inspired of God” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Alekano: “the true man who descended from heaven” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
Aguaruna: “teller of God’s word” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
Ekari: “person who speaks under divine impulse”
Chinese: 先知 xiānzhī — “one who foreknows” (or the 1946/1970 translation by Lü Zhenzhong: 神言人 shényánrén — “divine-word-man”)
Uab Meto: “holy spokesman” (source for this and two above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Kouya: Lagɔɔ gbʋgbanyɔ — “the one who seeks God’s affairs” (source: Saunders, p. 269)
Kafa: “decide for God only” (source: Loren Bliese)
Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
Eastern Highland Otomi: “word passer” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
Obolo: ebi nriran: “one with power of divine revelation” (source: Enene Enene)
Mairasi: nonondoai nyan: “message proclaimer” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Highland Totonac: “speaker on God’s behalf”
Central Tarahumara: “God’s preacher” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Coatlán Mixe: “God’s word-thrower”
Ayutla Mixtec: “one who talks as God’s representative”
Isthmus Mixe: “speaker for God” (source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Mezquital Otomi: “God’s messenger” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Nyongar: Warda Marridjiny or “News Traveling” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Kutu: mtula ndagu or “one who gives the prediction of the past and the future” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Ixcatlán Mazatec a term is used that specifically includes women. (Source: Robert Bascom)

About the translation into Northern Grebo:

“In some instances these spiritual terms result from adaptations reflecting the native life and culture. Among the Northern Grebo people of Liberia, a missionary wanted some adequate term for ‘prophet,’ and she was fully aware that the native word for ‘soothsayer’ or ‘diviner’ was no equivalent for the Biblical prophet who spoke forth for God. Of course, much of what the prophets said referred to the future, and though this was an essential part of much of their ministry, it was by no means all. The right word for the Gbeapo people would have to include something which would not only mean the foretelling of important events but the proclamation of truth as God’s representative among the people. At last the right word came; it was ‘God’s town-crier.’ Every morning and evening the official representative of the chief goes through the village crying out the news, delivering the orders of the chief, and announcing important coming events. ‘God’s town-crier’ would be the official representative of God, announcing to the people God’s doings, His commands, and His pronouncements for their salvation and well-being. For the Northern Grebo people the prophet is no weird person from forgotten times; he is as real as the human, moving message of the plowman Amos, who became God’s town-crier to a calloused people.” (source: Nida 1952, p. 20)

Language: Aguaruna · Alekano · Ayutla Mixtec · Batak Toba · Central Pame · Central Tarahumara · Chinese · Coatlán Mixe · Copainalá Zoque · Eastern Highland Otomi · Ekari · Highland Totonac · Isthmus Mixe · Ixcatlán Mazatec · Kafa · Kaqchikel · Kouya · Kutu · Mairasi · Martu Wangka · Mezquital Otomi · Navajo · Ngäbere · Northern Grebo · Nyongar · Obolo · San Blas Kuna · Sapo · Shipibo-Conibo · Uab Meto · Vai · Western Bukidnon Manobo · Yaka (Congo) · Yaka (DRC)