pronoun for "God"

God transcends gender, but most languages are limited to grammatical gender expressed in pronouns. In the case of English, this is traditionally confined to “he” (or in the forms “his,” “him,” and “himself”), “she” (and “her,” “hers,” and “herself”), and “it” (and “its” and “itself”).

Modern Mandarin Chinese, however, offers another possibility. Here, the third-person singular pronoun is always pronounced the same (tā), but it is written differently according to its gender (他 is “he,” 她 is “she,” and 它/牠 is “it” and their respective derivative forms). In each of these characters, the first (or upper) part defines the gender (man, woman, or thing/animal), while the second element gives the clue to its pronunciation.

In 1930, after a full century with dozens of Chinese translations, Bible translator Wang Yuande (王元德) coined a new “godly” pronoun: 祂. Chinese readers immediately knew how to pronounce it: tā. But they also recognized that the first part of that character, signifying something spiritual, clarified that each person of the Trinity has no gender aside from being God.

While the most important Protestant and Catholic Chinese versions respectively have opted not to use 祂, some Bible translations do and it is widely used in hymnals and other Christian materials. Among the translations that use 祂 to refer to “God” were early versions of Lü Zhenzhong’s (呂振中) version (New Testament: 1946, complete Bible: 1970). R.P. Kramers (in The Bible Translator 1956, p. 152ff. ) explains why later versions of Lü’s translation did not continue with this practice: “This new way of writing ‘He,’ however, has created a minor problem of its own: must this polite form be used whenever Jesus is referred to? Lü follows the rule that, wherever Jesus is referred to as a human being, the normal tā (他) is written; where he is referred to as divine, especially after the ascension, the reverential tā (祂) is used.”

In Kouya, Godié, Northern Grebo, Eastern Krahn, Western Krahn, and Guiberoua Béte, all languages of the Kru family in Western Africa, a different kind of system of pronouns is used (click or tap here to read more):

In that system, one kind of pronoun is used for humans (male and female alike) and others for natural elements, non-liquid masses, and some spiritual entities (one other is used for large animals and another one for miscellaneous items). While in these languages the pronoun for spiritual entities used to be employed when referring to God, this has changed into the use of the human pronoun.

Lynell Zogbo (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 401ff. ) explains: “From informal discussions with young Christians especially, it would appear that, at least for some people, the experience and/or concepts of Christianity are affecting the choice of pronoun for God. Some people explain that God is no longer ‘far away,’ but is somehow tangible and personal. For these speakers God has shifted over into the human category.”

In Kouya, God (the Father) and Jesus are referred to with the human pronoun ɔ, whereas the Holy Spirit is referred to with a non-human pronoun. (Northern Grebo and Western Krahn make a similar distinction.)

Eddie Arthur, a former Kouya Bible translation consultant, says the following: “We tried to insist that this shouldn’t happen, but the Kouya team members were insistent that the human pronoun for the Spirit would not work.”

In Burmese, the pronoun ko taw (ကိုယ်တော်) is used either as 2nd person (you) or 3rd person (he, him, his) reference. “This term clearly has its root in the religious language in Burmese. No ordinary persons are addressed or known by this pronoun because it is reserved for Buddhist monks, famous religious teachers, and in the case of Christianity, the Trinity.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )

In Thai, the pronoun phra`ong (พระองค์) is used, a gender-neutral pronoun which must refer to a previously introduced royal or divine being. Similarly, in Northern Khmer, which is spoken in Thailand, “an honorific divine pronoun” is used for the pronoun referring to the persons of the Trinity (source: David Thomas in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 445 ). In Urak Lawoi’, another language spoken in Thailand, the translation often uses tuhat (ตูฮัด) — “God” — ”as a divine pronoun where Thai has phra’ong even though it’s actually a noun.” (Source for Thai and Urak Lawoi’: Stephen Pattemore)

The English “Contemporary Torah” addresses the question of God and gendered pronouns by mostly avoiding pronouns in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (unless God is referred to as “lord,” “father,” “king,” or “warrior”). It does that by either using passive constructs (“He gave us” vs. “we were given”), by using the adjective “divine” or by using “God” rather than a pronoun.

Some Protestant and Orthodox English Bibles use a referential capitalized spelling when referring to the persons of the Trinity with “He,” “His,” “Him,” or “Himself.” This includes for instance the New American Standard Bible or The Orthodox New Testament, but most translations do not. Other languages where this is also done (in most Bible translations) are Twents as well as Indonesian and Malay. In the latter two languages this follows the language usage according to the Qur’an, which in turn predicts that usage (see Soesilo in The Bible Translator 1991, p. 442ff. and The Bible Translator 1997, p. 433ff. ).

See also first person pronoun referring to God.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Gender of God .

Translation: Chinese

在现代汉语中，第三人称单数代词的读音都是一样的（tā），但是写法并不一样，取决于性别以及是否有生命，即男性为“他”，女性为“她”，动物、植物和无生命事物为“它”（在香港和台湾的汉语使用，动物则为“牠”）。这些字的部首偏旁表明了性别（男人、女人、动物、无生命事物），而另一偏旁通常旁提示发音。

到1930年为止，基督教新教《圣经》经过整整一百年的翻译已经拥有了十几个译本，当时的一位圣经翻译者王元德新造了一个“神圣的”代词“祂”，偏旁“礻”表示神明。一般汉语读者会立即知道这字的发音是tā，而这个偏旁表示属灵的事物，因此他们明白这个字指出，三位一体的所有位格都没有性别之分，而单单是上帝。

然而，最重要的新教圣经译本（1919年的《和合本》）和天主教圣经译本（1968年的《思高圣经》）都没有采用“祂”；虽然如此，许多其他的圣经译本采用了这个字，另外还广泛出现在赞美诗和其他基督信仰的书刊中。（资料来源：Zetzsche）

《吕振中译本》的几个早期版本也使用“祂”来指称“上帝”；这个译本的《新约》于1946年译成，整部《圣经》于1970年完成。克拉默斯（Kramers）指出：“‘他’的这种新写法（即‘祂’）产生了一个小问题，就是在指称耶稣的时候，是否一律使用这个敬语代词？《吕振中译本》遵循的原则是，在称呼耶稣这个人的时候，用一般的‘他’，而在称呼耶稣神性的时候，特别是升天之后的耶稣，则用尊称‘祂’。”

Translator: Simon Wong

Translation commentary on John 14:10

To indicate that the first you of this verse is singular in the Greek text, Good News Translation introduces the noun of address, Philip.

For a discussion of I am in the Father and the Father is in me see 10.38. The meaning may be expressed by translating “I am one with the Father, and the Father is one with me.” In 10.38 Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “I live in the Father and the Father lives in me,” while here it has “that you meet the Father in me.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch‘s rendering is very good in 10.38, but in the present passage it lacks the idea of the reciprocal relationship and focuses attention on another aspect which is not primary. In some languages the relationship between the Father and Jesus may be expressed as “my Father is united with me, and I am united with my Father” or “my Father and I are just as though we were one.”

You in I have spoken to you is plural, and Good News Translation indicates this by adding Jesus said to his disciples. Here again it is necessary to mark explicitly the change from singular to plural, since in English you may be either. Anchor translates you as “you men.”

Do not come from me is literally “not from myself” (see 7.17) and is emphatic in the Greek sentence structure. It may be difficult in some languages to speak of words coming from a person, but the idea may be expressed as “The words that I have spoken to you, these are not what I myself have just thought” or “… they do not just come from my mind” or “these are not just my thoughts.”

The Father, who remains in me, does his own work is a fairly literal rendering of the Greek text. These words indicate that Jesus’ miracles were not accomplished by his own power or initiative (see 8.28); rather, they reveal his union with the Father. A number of translators attempt a dynamic translation: New English Bible has “it is the Father who dwells in me doing his own work”; New American Bible “it is the Father who lives in me accomplishing his works”; Moffatt “it is the Father who remains ever in me, who is performing his own deeds”; Goodspeed “but the Father who is united with me is doing these things himself.”

However, it may be difficult to speak of the Father “doing his own work.” The reference is obviously very broad, for it includes both miracles and sayings. Sometimes one can employ such an expression as “my Father who remains in me causes these happenings.” But in other instances a more satisfactory rendering may be “… does what he decides to do.” Such a rendering indicates clearly that the agency and the initiative rest with God.

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 14:10

14:10a

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?: This is a rhetorical question. It is used as a rebuke. Jesus rebuked/scolded Philip because he spoke like someone who did not believe that Jesus and the Father were one. He wanted and expected Philip to believe that he and the Father were united.

There are at least two ways to translate this rebuke:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

Don’t you believe that I, myself, am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me? (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a statement. For example:

You (sing.) should believe that I am one with the Father and that the Father is one with me.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is most natural in your language.

you…believe: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you…believe is singular and refers just to Philip. Some languages indicate whether “you” is singular or plural. If your language does not do that, you may want to make it clear that Jesus spoke only to Philip. For example:

Do you not believe, Philip…? (Good News Translation)

I am in the Father and the Father is in Me: This expression indicates that Jesus and the Father are united. They are one God, sharing the same nature and qualities. See the notes on 10:38, where there is a very similar expression. Here are some other ways to express this idea:

I live in the Father and the Father lives in me
-or-
that I am united with my Father and my Father is united with me

14:10b

The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own: This clause indicates that Jesus did not just teach his own ideas. He did not preach a message that he had created himself, based on his own authority and decision. See the notes on 7:16–17. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

The words I say to you are not just my own. (New International Version)
-or-
What I’m telling you doesn’t come from me. (God’s Word)
-or-
I am not myself the source of the words I speak to you. (Revised English Bible)

The words I say to you: This expression refers to Jesus’ teaching or message.

you: This pronoun is plural and refers to all of the disciples. If your language does not indicate whether “you” is singular or plural, you may want to make it clear another way. For example:

Jesus said to his disciples (Good News Translation)

I do not speak on My own: This clause here indicates that Jesus did not speak words and ideas that he had created himself. The Greek text emphasizes the phrase on My own which means “without help” or “from myself.” See the notes on 7:17c and refer to your translation of that verse. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I do not speak on my own authority (English Standard Version)
-or-
The words I say to you don’t come from me (New Century Version)
-or-
I am not myself the source of the words I speak to you (Revised English Bible)

14:10c

Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works: This clause contrasts with 14:10b. Rather than speak from his own wisdom, Jesus spoke from the wisdom of God the Father living in him. The Father was the source and power of what Jesus said and did. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dwelling means “lives” or “remains.” Here are other ways to translate this clause:

it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
but the Father lives in me and does his own work (New Century Version)

His works: The word works here includes both miracles and teaching. God acted through Jesus’ miracles and through his teaching. Try to translate this word using an expression that can include speech as well as actions. For example:

The Father, who lives in me, does what he wants. (God’s Word)

General Comment on 14:10b–c

14:10b is a negative statement and 14:10c is a positive statement of the same truth. In some languages it is more natural to state the positive first. For example:

10c The Father who lives in me works/acts ⌊through me⌋ . 10b The message I have been teaching is not my own.

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