The Greek that is translated as “licentiousness” and “impurity” or similar in English is translated in Bariai as “following behavior like dogs.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated as “saint” in English is rendered into Highland Puebla Nahuatl as “one with a clean hearts,” into Northwestern Dinka as “one with a white hearts,” and into Western Kanjobal as “person of prayer.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 146)
Chichewa “(person with a) white heart” since “white” is the word that is used in Chichewa for the translation of “holy.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated as “sexual immorality” or “fornication” or similar is translated much more specifically in some languages. Morelos Nahuatl has “let a man not yield himself to another woman except only to his wife. Also let a woman not yield herself to another man except only to her husband” or in Lalana Chinantec as “not proper for them to mix themselves with other women. The same is true of women for other men also.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Low German as Hurenkram or “things related to prostitution (and/or sleeping around)” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) typically as Sexgier or “sex cravings” (exceptions: Acts 15:10 and 15:29).
Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 5:3:
Uma: “But let there not be any who commit adultery or do other dirty deeds or covet things of others. Deeds like that are not appropriate for us who are the portion of God. It is better that things like that not be talked about in our midst.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “You are God’s people, therefore as far as adultery, immorality and cravings/greed is concerned it is not fitting for you even to mention it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since you are subjects of God, it’s necessary that you are not greedy, don’t do anything that’s filthy, don’t you meddle with someone who’s not your spouse; even to think or talk about it, don’t you do it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Therefore you shouldn’t commit-immorality-with (anyone) and do other kinds of filthiness. Neither should you be-greedy for what is not yours. Because even the relating only of evil-things like those, it isn’t fitting for you who are God’s people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But, because you are now the people of God, you really need to regard-as-dirty these kinds of behavior, all kinds of immoral-behavior with one not your spouse, habits or thoughts which are disgusting, and envy/desire for whatever belongings can be obtained here in the world. Hopefully these things won’t even enter your minds/inner-being.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “You now are in the hand of God. Therefore let not immorality come to your hearts. Do not do any kind of evil. Do not want to just keep on making your money increase.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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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).
This verse is closely parallel with Colossians 3.5, where all three nouns are also used: sexual immorality, indecency, greed. The first Greek word (Revised Standard Version “fornication”) is defined by Arndt and Gingrich (A&G) as “every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse.” The second one, “impurity” (Revised Standard Version), is usually associated with sexual sins (see its use with “fornication” in Rom 1.24; 2 Cor 12.21; Gal 5.19; Col 3.5; 1 Thes 4.7). Perhaps it means “perversion.” It is strange that greed should be included in a list that has to do with sexual sins, but the usual meaning of the Greek word (see 4.19) is “covetousness, greed, desire,” and Lightfoot, Murray, and Barth take that to be the meaning here. C. F. D. Moule in his commentary on Colossians 3.5, defines it as “ruthless and aggressive self-seeking.” But Beare objects that here it must mean something like “adultery” or “sensual self-indulgence”; likewise Westcott: “sensual indulgement at the cost of others” (also Abbott and Salmond). Moffatt, New American Bible, Translator’s New Testament translate “lust”; Jerusalem Bible “promiscuity.” But most translations (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, and others) have the idea of greed, covetousness.
Sexual immorality must sometimes be defined in more or less concrete terms, for example, “having sexual intercourse with someone who is not one’s spouse.” The term indecency likewise refers to sexual sin, but it is a somewhat stronger term and may often be translated in an idiomatic manner, for example, “to live like a dog” or “to act like a rooster” or “to dirty one’s genitals.” Greed may be defined in this same type of context as “always desiring what others have” or “always wanting to take away from others what they have.”
Should even be mentioned: is this to be taken strictly in the sense that the subject should never arise, not even to condemn these sins? That would seem rather improbable, and the meaning more likely is that not even rumors about these kinds of sins in the Christian fellowship should ever circulate; their conduct should be so spotless that there would not be a chance that any rumor or gossip about sexual misconduct would ever get started. The expression may be satisfactorily rendered as “no one should ever have a reason to talk about any of you ever doing such things.”
In Greek the verse ends with “as is fitting among saints” (Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation places this first: Since you are God’s people, it is not right. But in many languages, of course, the proper place for this would be at the end of the verse: “This would not be right, since you are God’s children.” Jerusalem Bible “this would hardly become the saints!” New International Version “improper.” The meaning is that which is not morally appropriate or suitable.
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 .
But among you…there must not be even a hint: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as not be even a hint is literally “not even be named.” There are several ways to understand this expression. It can mean:
(1) There should not even be a reason for rumors or gossip that the Ephesians committed these sins. In other words, Christians should have such pure behavior that it will never cause non-Christians to even talk about Christians doing these kinds of sins. For example:
don’t let it be said that any of you are immoral (Contemporary English Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Contemporary English Version, UBS Handbook, SSA)
(2) These sins should not be mentioned by the Ephesians. This means that Christians themselves should not even talk about such sins in their conversation. For example:
don’t even talk about such things (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, English Standard Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(3) These sins should not occur among Christians. For example:
Such sins have no place among God’s people. (New Living Translation (2004))
(NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)
Paul is urging the Ephesians to keep themselves far away from this sort of sinful behavior. Since Paul is himself, discussing and warning the Ephesians against these sins, (2) seems unlikely. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), but (3) is also acceptable.
5:3a
as is proper: The word proper means “suitable.”
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
right (New Century Version)
-or-
it should be
among the saints: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as saints is literally “holy ones.” It means “people set apart for God.” This Greek word refers to every believer. It can be translated as:
God’s people
-or-
people who belong to God
Many English versions translate this word as saints. All Christians are saints. This word does not refer only to special people that the modern church regards as “saints.”
See how you translated the similar phrase “saints” in 4:12a. And see Holy, Meaning 1, special use in the Glossary, if you want more information.
5:3b
sexual immorality: The term sexual immorality refers to all types of sexual behavior that are forbidden in God’s law. It includes adultery and all sexual relations outside of marriage. Another way this phrase has been translated is:
sexual sin (New Century Version)
5:3c
impurity: The word impurity is a stronger word for immorality and includes all perverted and unnatural sexual behavior. In the New Testament, this word is often used together with “sexual immorality.” (See Galatians 5:19 and Colossians 3:5.)
In your language, there may not be two different words that mean exactly the same things as “sexual immorality” and impurity. But you can probably find ways to talk about the same things. For example:
adultery and other kinds of sleeping around
-or-
taking a woman who is not your wife or other unacceptable actions like that
Try to make your translation clear, but do not use coarse words that are not appropriate to read in public.
greed: The word greed refers to a never-ending desire to get more than you have or deserve. While it is usually associated with material gain, in this context, it could also refer to a strong desire for sexual pleasure.
Your translation of greed should allow for a general understanding of the word.
General Comment on 5:3a–b
In some languages, it will be more natural to reorder parts of 5:3. For example:
3a Since you are holy people, 3b you must not do anything sexually immoral or 3c shameful/perverted, and you must not be greedy. 3b There must not even be a cause for rumors of such behavior 3a among you.
-or-
3a But among you 3b there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, 3c or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, 3a because these are improper for Godʼs holy people. (New International Version)
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