formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Ephesians 2:8 – 2:9

The basic truth is repeated: For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. The verbal phrase in Greek has the auxiliary verb “to be” plus the perfect passive participle of the verb “to save,” a construction that emphasizes the completed aspect of the action: “you were saved and you continue saved.” Grace is the divine source of salvation, and human faith is the means whereby salvation takes place.

It is not easy to distinguish between the cause of salvation, that is, by God’s grace, and the means, namely, through faith. It is God’s grace which produces the salvation, but it is the faith of people which makes this possible. Faith therefore may be described technically as “contributing circumstances,” for without faith on man’s part God will not impose his grace and salvation. The statement it is by God’s grace that you have been saved may be expressed as “because God is so kind, you have been saved” or “because God is so kind, he has saved you.” The final phrase through faith may be expressed as “this was possible because you trusted.” In this way one can state the necessary circumstances which involve faith, but one can avoid making faith the ultimate means for salvation. If it is necessary to supply an object for the verb “trusted” or “had faith,” here it probably is better to have God as the object: “you trusted him” or “you had faith in him.”

The words that follow, “and this is not your doing, it is the gift of God” (Revised Standard Version), emphasize the divine initiative and activity. Some take “and this” (in verse 8) to refer to the preceding “faith,” but it seems more likely that the Greek neuter pronoun refers to the whole preceding event, that is, salvation by God’s grace through faith, and not just to faith (which in Greek is a feminine noun). It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift may be expressed as “you didn’t earn your salvation; God gave it to you” or “you did not save yourselves; God saved you” or “it was not because of what you did that God saved you, but what he did was a gift.”

Verse 9 (see Revised Standard Version) continues, “not from works,” that is, not the result of human activity, “in order that no one boast (or, as a result no one can boast).” The event of salvation is all God’s doing, resulting completely from his grace, his power, his love. All a person can do is trust, believe, accept, so all possibility of human pride and boasting is done away with.

“Not from works” is a restatement of the phrase in verse 8 “and this (is) not from you.” Good News Translation has restructured this passage in such a way that these two phrases have been combined: It is not the result of your own efforts. Similarly, translators will restructure the ideas of these two verses according to the requirements of good style in their language. They will only be assured of a smooth, natural translation when they have written out all the ideas in these two verses in a series of short sentences and then put them together in a way that is natural for their language.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ephesians 2:8

2:8a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces a repetition and expansion of what Paul has already said and specifically concerning what he said in 5b and 7b concerning God’s grace.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

As I said before
-or-
My point again is that
-or-
I mean that (New Century Version)

it is by grace you have been saved: This clause means that God saves us because of his grace/kindness. The phrase by grace is emphasized in Greek. The Berean Standard Bible shows this emphasis by adding it is to by grace. This clause is almost identical to 2:5b.

grace: Here, grace means “showing kindness or generosity to someone. See how you translated grace in 2:5b Also, see grace, Meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.

saved: To be saved means to be rescued from danger. See how you translated saved in 2:5b. Also, see save, Word 1 in the Glossary for more information.

through faith: The word faith refers here to the action of trusting and believing in someone. God saves us because we believe in Christ.

See how you translated faith in 1:15b. Also see faith, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.

Here are some ways of translating this phrase:

by means of believing ⌊in Jesus Christ⌋
-or-
Because you trust in Jesus Christ

2:8b

and this not from yourselves: The word this refers to the clause “you have been saved” in 2:8a. The clause and this not from yourselves means that God does not save you because of anything good that you have done.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

and this is not your own doing (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
And you can’t take credit for this (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
and not anything you have done on your own (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 2:8b -c

Some English versions, like the New International Version, have a “—” at the beginning of 2:8b and another at the end of 2:8c. This is to show the reader that 2:8b–c is a comment inserted here by Paul. Other English versions, like the Berean Standard Bible, do not do this, so it is recommended that you do not place a “—” at the beginning of 2:8b and another at the end of 2:8c.

2:8c

it is the gift of God: The word it refers to being saved by God. Salvation is God’s gift to everyone. The God’s Word makes this explicit:

Being saved is a gift from God (God’s Word)

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Éphésiens 2.8

Dans Éph. 2.8 l’auteur revient sur l’idée de grâce qui figure à travers cette lettre et cette section (Éph. 1.7 ; Éph. 2.5, Éph. 2.7). Le verset commence par la conjonction grecque γάρ gar, rendue dans plusieurs versions par « Car » (Bible en français courant, Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible du Semeur) et dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible et la Nouvelle Bible Segond par en effet. Elle souligne le lien de cette affirmation avec ce qui précède.

C’est par la grâce, en effet, que vous êtes sauvés, par le moyen de la foi : l’auteur réaffirme que c’est par la grâce divine que les croyants sont sauvés.

par la grâce : en grec le mot grâce est au datif, une forme grammaticale qui exprime le moyen ou l’instrumentalité : les croyants sont sauvés par la grâce.

que vous êtes sauvés : vous se réfère aux croyants à Éphèse. êtes sauvés rend bien le grec qui a une forme passive, mais dans beaucoup de langues, une forme active sera préférée : « Dieu vous a sauvés par la grâce ». Pour sauvés, voir Éph. 2.5.

par le moyen de la foi peut aussi être rendu par « à travers la foi ». le moyen est un ajout de la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible mais aide le lecteur à comprendre. On pourrait formuler le début du verset ainsi : « Parce que Dieu vous a offert la grâce, vous avez été sauvés, et ceci était possible à cause de votre foi ». La Parole de Vie fait de la grâce et de la foi deux éléments égaux : « En effet, vous êtes sauvés grâce à la bonté de Dieu, et parce que vous croyez ». Mais la plupart des versions parlent de la foi comme le moyen qui rend le salut possible.

Vous n’y êtes pour rien, c’est le don de Dieu : la dernière partie de ce verset souligne davantage que c’est l’activité de Dieu qui assure notre salut.

Vous n’y êtes pour rien est littéralement en grec « Et cela ne vient pas de vous » (Nouvelle Bible Segond). Certains commentateurs interprètent « cela » comme une référence à la foi qui vient d’être mentionnée, mais la majorité y voit une référence à l’ensemble : le salut par la grâce de Dieu, moyennant la foi. Cette interprétation se confirme par le fait que le mot foi est féminin en grec, tandis que le pronom « cela » est neutre. La Bible en français courant résume, tout en mettant l’accent sur le salut : « Ce salut ne vient pas de vous… », ce qui peut servir de modèle. On pourra aussi dire « ce n’est pas vous qui avez réalisé votre salut » ou encore, « vous ne vous êtes pas sauvés vous-mêmes ».

c’est le don de Dieu : en grec le même mot est utilisé lorsque les mages offrent des dons au bébé Jésus (Matt 2.11) et lorsque les gens ou les prêtres offrent des dons au Seigneur dans le temple (Matt 5.23 ; Hébr 5.1). S’il faut une expression verbale, on pourra dire « c’est Dieu qui vous donne le salut ».

Source: Zogbo, Lynell. La lettre aux Éphésiens – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2011.