complete verse (John 11:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 11:29:

  • Uma: “Hearing that, Maria hurried going to meet with Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When Mariyam heard this, she went quickly down and went to Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When Mary heard this she stood up suddenly and she went to meet Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When Maria heard that, she stood-right-up and went to meet-him,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Maria heard, she got up at once and set out to go to meet Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When Mary heard that she was summoned, she got up and went to see Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 11:29

In Greek the subject of this verse is “that one,” which Good News Translation renders Mary.

Hurried out is literally “went quickly.” However, most translations connect the adverb “quickly” with the verb got up rather than with “went.” This translation is more in keeping with the Greek sentence structure (New English Bible “she rose up quickly and went to him”).

To meet him is literally “to him” (so most translations).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 11:29

11:29

And when Mary heard this: This clause introduces what Mary did when she heard that Jesus wanted her to come to him. Introduce this in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Hearing this (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
So (New Living Translation (2004))

she got up quickly and went to Him: The words she got up quickly indicate that Mary immediately responded to Jesus’ request. In some languages it may be unnecessary and unnatural to say that she got up before going to Jesus. It may be possible instead to just say that she went. For example:

Mary immediately went to him. (New Living Translation (2004))

General Comment on 11:29

The Contemporary English Version indicates that Mary acted immediately by using the phrase “as soon as” with the clause “she/Mary heard this.” In some languages it may be natural to follow this example:

As soon as Mary heard this, she got up and went to Jesus. (Contemporary English Version)

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