The Greek that is translated as “justify” in English is translated into Tzotzil in two different ways. One of those is with Lec xij’ilatotic yu’un Dios ta sventa ti ta xc’ot ta o’ntonal ta xch’unel ti Jesucristoe (“we are seen well by God because of our faith in Jesus Christ”) (source: Aeilts, p. 118) and the other is “God sees as righteous” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).
Other (back-) translations include:
Bilua: “straigthened” (Rom 3:20: “Nobody can be straightened in God’s presence…”) (source: Carl Gross) (see also: righteous)
Makonde: “”to be good in God’s eyes” (in the context of being made righteous by God) ” (note that righteous / righteousness is translated as “to be good in God’s eyes” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Manikion: “heart sits next to Jesus” (source: Daud Soesilo)
Obolo: ben itip-oyerebet isan̄a: “take away condemnation” (source: Enene Enene)
The now commonly-used English idiom “fallen from grace” (meaning to fall out of favor, often due a tarnished reputation) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 286)
For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
“The Greek word charis, usually translated by English ‘grace,’ is one of the desperations of translators. The area of meaning is exceptionally extensive. Note the following possible meanings for this word in various contexts of the New Testament: ‘sweetness,’ ‘charm,’ ‘loveliness,’ ‘good-will,’ ‘loving-kindness,’ ‘favor,’ ‘merciful kindness,’ ‘benefit,’ ‘gift,’ ‘benefaction,’ ‘bounty,’ and ‘thanks.’ The theological definition of ‘unmerited favor’ (some translators have attempted to employ this throughout) is applicable to only certain contexts. Moreover, it is quite a task to find some native expression which will represent the meaning of ‘unmerited favor.’ In some languages it is impossible to differentiate between ‘grace’ and ‘kindness.’ In fact, the translation ‘kindness’ is in some cases quite applicable. In other languages, a translation of ‘grace’ is inseparable from ‘goodness.’ In San Miguel El Grande Mixtec a very remarkable word has been used for ‘grace.’ It is made up of three elements. The first of these is a prefixial abstractor. The second is the stem for ‘beauty.’ The third is a suffix which indicates that the preceding elements are psychologically significant. The resultant word may be approximately defined as ‘the abstract quality of beauty of personality.’” (Source: Nida 1947, p. 223)
Other translations include (click or tap here to see more):
Inuktitut: “God’s kindness that enables us” (source: Andrew Atagotaaluk)
Nukna: “God gave his insides to one.” (“The ‘insides’ are the seat of emotion in Nukna, like the heart in the English language. To give your insides to someone is to feel love toward them, to want what is best for them, and to do good things for them.” (Source: Matt Taylor in The PNG Experience )
Uma: “(God’s) white insides” (source: Uma Back Translation)
the Germandas Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) uses a large variety of translations, including “undeserved friendliness,” “wonderful work of God,” “loving attention,” “generous,” but also “undeserved grace” (using the traditional German term Gnade)
In Latvian the term žēlastība is used both for “grace” and “mercy.” (Source: Katie Roth)
In the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) and the Buku Lopatulika version (1922/2018) it is translated with chisomo. This word was earlier used to refer to a charm that people were using for others to like them. It meant that on his/her own, a person would not be qualified to be liked by people. But with this charm, people would look at that person more kindly. This is also used in a number of Old Testament passages for what is typically translated as “find favor” or “gracious” in English, including Exodus 33:12, Numbers 6:25, or Psalm 84:11. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
For Muna, René van den Berg explains the process how the translation team arrived at a satisfactory solution: “Initial translation drafts in Muna tended to (…) use the single word kadawu ‘part, (given) share, gift,’ but this word is really too generic. It lacks the meaning component of mercy and kindness and also seems to imply that the gift is part of a larger whole. Consequently we now [translate] according to context. In wishes and prayers such as ‘Grace to you and peace from God’ we translate ‘grace’ as kabarakati ‘blessing’ (e.g. Gal 1:3). In many places we use kataano lalo ‘goodness of heart’ (e.g. Gal 1:15 ‘because of the goodness of his heart God chose me’) as well as the loan rahamati ‘mercy’ (e.g. ‘you have-turned-your-backs-on the mercy of God’ for ‘you have fallen away from grace’; Gal 5:4). In one case where the unmerited nature of ‘grace’ is in focus, we have also employed katohai ‘a free gift’ (typically food offered to one’s neighbo-1urs) in the same verse. ‘The reason-you-have-been-saved is because of the goodness of God’s heart (Greek charis, Muna kataano lalo), going-through your belief in Kristus. That salvation is not the result of your own work, but really a free-gift (Greek dooron ‘gift’; Muna katohai) of God.’ (Eph 2:8).
In Burmese, it is translated with the Buddhist term kyeh’jooh’tau (ကျေးဇူးတော်). LaSeng Dingrin (in Missiology 37/4, 2009, p. 485ff.) explains: “As regards the Christian term ‘grace,’ Judson [the first translator of the Bible into Burmese] could not have brought the Burmese Buddhists the good news about the redeeming work of Jesus Christ and its benefits (i.e., forgiveness and salvation), without employing the Burmese Buddhist term kyeh’jooh’tau (‘grace’). Deriving from Palikataññuta (“gratefulness”), kyeh’jooh’tau denotes ‘good deeds for others or benefits,’ which occur among humans. (…) When Christianized, kyeh’jooh’tau also refers to the atoning work of Jesus and its benefits, and can occur between humans and God. The word kyeh’jooh’tau looks very Burmese Buddhist, but it is Christian, too, and conveys the core of the Christian proclamation. Furthermore, kyeh’jooh’tau itself shows that translatability of Christianity cannot be imagined without reliance on Buddhism.” (See also the Burmese entry for God)
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines “compassion” and “giving out.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Grace” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 5:4:
Uma: “If you want to become straight in God’s sight by your following the Law of Musa, you have actually severed your connection with Kristus. God wants to make you straight freely/for-nothing from his white insides [grace]. So, if you want to make yourselves straight, you have actually refused that gift of his.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Whoever of you (pl.) says that you are forgiven and considered straight by God because of your following the law, you have rejected/turned your back on Isa Almasi. You are already separated from the love and pity/mercy of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone of you who supposes mistakenly that by means of obedience to the Law he can be considered righteous by God, he has separated himself already from Christ. He has already abandoned the kindness of God to him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So the people who are your companions who are trying to be made-righteous in God’s sight because of their obeying the law, they are already separated from Cristo and have-turned-their-backs-on God’s grace/mercy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For the one striving to become righteous in God’s sight because of his obedience to those laws, he has really separated from Cristo. He has really rejected the grace/mercy of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Now he is separated from Christ, that person who says that his sins are taken care of when he does all that is written in the law. He refuses the grace of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (wsource: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
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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).
Paul further narrows down his audience and now addresses those among the Galatians who have already accepted the principle of winning God’s approval by following the Law. This is made clear by those of you who try (New American Bible “any of you”). Other modern translations give the impression that Paul is still talking to all the Galatians, but the context does not support this interpretation.
To be put right with God by obeying the Law is literally “to be justified by the law” (compare the expressions used in Gal 2.16 and 3.11). In this context those of you who try to be put right with God may be rendered as “those of you who try to get right with God,” “… put yourselves right with God,” or “… become right with God.” On the other hand, some languages would require some such expression as “try to make yourself acceptable to God,” or “try to cause God to accept you.”
The expression of means in the phrase by obeying the Law may be rendered as cause in some languages, “because you do what the Law says.”
Those who put their trust in the Law as a means of winning God’s approval have cut themselves off from Christ. The verb here is used by Paul elsewhere in this letter (3.17) to mean “nullify” or “make ineffective” (compare also Paul’s use of this verb in Rom 7.2, where it relates to “being freed from a marriage bond”), and so here it would mean to be separated from Christ (New English Bible “your relation with Christ is completely severed”). That means that they are no longer in Christ, that is, in union and fellowship with him.
Have cut yourselves off from Christ may thus be rendered as “have completely separated yourselves from Christ.” This meaning may be expressed idiomatically in some languages as “have destroyed your bond with Christ,” or “have destroyed what ties you to Christ.”
Furthermore, they are outside God’s grace (literally, “you have fallen away from grace”). Grace here may refer either to God’s or Christ’s grace, but most translators prefer the former interpretation. For a discussion of grace, see under 1.6. So here also as in 1.6, grace includes the components of undeserved love and free gift. To obey the Law in order to win God’s approval is to turn one’s back on God’s gift of sonship. The expression “you have fallen away” should be understood, not in the sense that grace has been taken away from them, but in the sense that they have turned their backs on it (New English Bible “you have fallen out of the domain of God’s grace”; Phillips “you put yourself outside the range of his grace”). One may also say “you have put yourself in a place where God’s goodness cannot find you,” “… where God cannot be good to you,” or “… show you his goodness.”
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
In 5:4, there are two consequences of following the law of Moses:
(a) you are severed from Christ
(b) you have fallen away from grace
In some languages, it is more natural to change the order of the Greek in order to put these two consequences together (as in the Berean Standard Bible). Compare the English Standard Version (which follows the Greek) and the Berean Standard Bible below.
4a You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; 4b you have fallen away from grace. (English Standard Version)
4a You who are trying to be justified by law have been severed from Christ ; 4b you have fallen away from grace. (Berean Standard Bible)
5:4a
You who are trying to be justified by the law: This clause identifies the people who are severed from Christ. It is those who want to be made right with God by following/obeying the law of Moses.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
Whoever among you attempts to be straight before God by keeping the law -or-
Any of you who try to follow the law of Moses in order to be made right with God -or-
And if you try to please God by obeying the Law (Contemporary English Version)
justified: The word justified is the verb form of the noun “righteous.” This word also occurs in 2:16a. See also justify in the Glossary.
have been severed from Christ: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have been severed means “cut off” or “completely separated” from Christ. This verb points out the serious consequences of adding circumcision to our faith in Christ as a requirement to be saved/justified.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
have cut yourselves off from Christ (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
have separated yourselves from Christ -or-
your life with Christ is over (New Century Version)
5:4b
you have fallen away from grace: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have fallen away from means that the Galatians “have left” or “abandoned” God’s grace. It does not mean that God took his grace away from them.
It is another way of saying “you are separated from Christ.” A person who is separated from Christ is separated from the grace of God. This is the fourth time that Paul has warned about the consequences of accepting circumcision.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
you have turned your back on God’s grace -or-
you have abandoned/rejected the kindness of God towards you -or-
you have gone out of God’s grace
grace: The word grace refers to God’s kindness, generosity, or favor in justifying us through faith in Christ.
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