world (Chinese)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “world” in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese with shìjiè (世界). While shìjiè is now the commonly used term for “world” in Chinese, it was popularized as such by Chinese Bible translations. (Source: Mak 2017, p. 241ff.)

See also world.

form of address between the persons of the Trinity

In Hindi a differentiation is made between the way that the different persons of the Trinity are addressed by a regular person or by another person of the Trinity. When Jesus addresses God the Father or when God the Father addresses Jesus, a familiar form of address is used, unlike the way that any of them would be addressed with a honorific (pl.) form by anyone else.

Source: C.S. Thoburn in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 180ff.

complete verse (John 17:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 17:16:

  • Uma: “Like I am not the companion of those who do not believe, so also my disciples are not their companions.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They are like me, they do not follow/go-along-with the thinking of the people who do not follow you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They have no association with your enemies just like I also have no association with your enemies.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because they are like me, not being counted among the people who don’t believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They are no longer in subjection to that evil of his because they are now like me who am not of this world here.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Like I did not do the evil the people do, also our people do not do the evil which the people do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 17:16

Compare this verse with they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world of verse 14.

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 .