formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In Nepali translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and other people with the medium honorific pronoun timīlē (तिमीले) or timīlēharū (तिमीलेहरू). This disciples respond with a high honorific pronoun. (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

See also formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese).

complete verse (John 13:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 13:15:

  • Uma: “I have shown you this example, so that you learn/follow my behavior: like I help you, you also must help others.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I showed you that doing of mine so that you have an example that your livers should be humble/lowly. You shall imitate my doing to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I did this for you is so that you might imitate it. It is necessary that each one of you subjects himself to his companion.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because this that I tell you is true that a slave is not greater than his master, and likewise also one who is sent who is not greater than the one who sent him. I did this to you so that you will have an example-to-follow so that that also is what you will do to your companions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because you have now been given by me an example, so that like this indeed is what you will do, this which I have done.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I have shown you what you must do in order for you to do among yourselves what I have done to you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

1st person pronoun referring to God (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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 John 13:15

I have set an example for you (New English Bible “I have set you an example”) is more literally “I have given you an example”; in English, however, it is more natural to speak of “setting” an example. The word translated example also occurs in Hebrews 4.11; 8.5; 9.23; James 5.10; 2 Peter 2.6. In some languages there is no technical term for example, but the meaning can always be expressed, for example, “I have shown you what to do by doing it myself” or “I have shown you how you should imitate me.”

So that you will do just what I have done for you represents a slight alteration of the Greek, which reads “in order that just as I did to you also you should do.” Both New English Bible (“you are to do as I have done for you”) and Jerusalem Bible (“so that you may copy what I have done to you”) invert the sentence structure in essentially the same way as Good News Translation. It may be necessary in some languages to indicate the goal of the action in the first part of this second half of verse 15, for example, “so that you will do for one another just what I have done for you” or “so that you will act toward one another just as I have acted toward you.” In some languages a word meaning “help” or “benefit” may be required to express the meaning of what was done.

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 13:15

13:15a

The Greek begins this verse with a conjunction that means “because.” It introduces the reason why the disciples should wash one another’s feet. Here are some ways to translate this conjunction:

Because
-or-
The reason that I did this

I have set you an example: This clause indicates that Jesus had shown his disciples how they should behave. He acted in the way that he wanted them to act. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

For I have given you an example (English Standard Version)
-or-
I have given you an example to follow. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I did this as an example (New Century Version)

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to all the disciples.

an example: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as example here means pattern or way of life to be imitated. Jesus showed the disciples what to do by doing it himself. He had washed their feet to give them an example of humility and service. This was an example or demonstration of how they should act/behave. Jesus wanted them to follow his example and serve each other. That was more important than actually washing feet, although it was a good way to serve others at that time,

13:15b

so that you should do as I have done for you: This clause indicates that Jesus wanted the disciples to act as he had done. He had served them in a humble way, and he wanted them to serve one another in the same humble way. So it does not just refer to washing feet, although that could be included. Here are other ways to translate this clause

so that you may copy what I have done to you (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
that you should follow (God’s Word)
-or-
you should do the same to each other (Contemporary English Version)

The Greek has a word that many English versions translates as “also.” In some languages it may be necessary or natural to translate the word explicitly. For example:

you also should do as I have done to you (New Revised Standard Version)

as I have done for you: In some languages the words for you may imply something negative. In those languages you may want to make clear that Jesus did something to benefit the disciples. For example:

as I helped/served you

General Comment on 13:15a–b

In some languages it may be natural to translate this verse as two sentences. For example:

I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. (New Living Translation (2004))

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