The Greek that is typically translated in English as “sign” is translated in Huehuetla Tepehua as “thing to be marveled at” (source: Larson 1889, p. 279) and in Mairasi as “big work” (source: Enggavoter 2004).
complete verse (John 7:31)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:31:
- Uma: “Many in the midst of the people believed in him, they said: ‘He is surely the Redeemer King, because he has done so many miracles.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But many people who were there believed in Isa. They said, ‘Really this is the Almasi. For no person can do wonder-causing deeds exceeding the deeds of this Isa.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were many people who believed that Jesus was the prophesied king chosen by God, and they said, ‘Jesus is the king because no one else can do greater miracles than those that he does.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “As for the many-people however, many of them believed in him, and they said, ‘Is not this one the coming Messiah? Because probably no one is able-to-do more-amazing-things than what this-one has-been-doing.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But there were indeed many who acknowledged as true what he said. They were saying, ‘What do you suppose, if/when that one meant by Cristo comes here, would he be able to do signs which are amazing things which are greater than this person can do?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now many people believed Jesus was the Christ. They said, ‘This man here, now does the signs just like it is said that Christ will do them when he comes.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Christ, Messiah
The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.
When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”
This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.
In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the German Gute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).
In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:
- Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
- Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
- Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
- Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )
In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with a sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):
“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Christ .
respectful form of "do" (nasaru)
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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, nasaru (なさる), the respectful form of suru (する) or “do,” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("come")
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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, ko-rare-ru (来られる) or “come” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
3rd person pronoun with high register (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 third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used. In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.”
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Translation commentary on John 7:31
Miracles is literally “signs” (see 2.11). The faith of these people was evidently based on the miraculous things that Jesus had done (see 2.23 and 4.48).
The comparison in will he perform more miracles than this man has? may be expressed in some languages as “will he surpass this man in doing more miracles?” or “will this man be at all inferior to the Messiah in performing miracles?”
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 7:31
7:31a
Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him: Many people there in Jerusalem did believe in Jesus. The phrase believed in Him includes the idea of believing the facts about who Jesus was and what he did. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the facts about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. See how you translated similar phrases in 1:12b and 7:5.
Here are other ways to translate this idea:
Many among the crowds at the Temple believed on him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
A lot of people in the crowd put their faith in him (Contemporary English Version)
however: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as however here introduces a contrast with the people who tried to seize Jesus. A few English translations do not translate this word, but leave it implied. Here are other ways to translate this word that require placing it at the beginning of the verse:
Yet (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
But (New Century Version)
7:31b-c
When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?: This question gives the reason that many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He had done so many miracles that he must be the Messiah. But the question talks about Jesus and the Messiah as though they were different people. So if it is translated literally, it can be misunderstood to mean that Jesus was not the Messiah. You may need to make it clear that they believed that Jesus was the Messiah. For example:
and they said, “This man must be the Messiah. Because surely no one can do more amazing things than what he has done.”
7:31b
and said: These people were talking to one another about Jesus. The quotation that follows is an example of the kind of things they said. In some languages it may be natural to translate this phrase in this way:
They said to each other
When the Christ comes: This clause refers to time when the Messiah would come. The people who were speaking believed that Jesus was the Messiah. But they were speaking in a general way.
Here are other ways to translate this clause:
When the Christ appears (English Standard Version)
-or-
When ⌊our (incl.)⌋ Chosen/Appointed Savior comes ⌊to us (incl.)⌋
the Christ: Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning. See the note on 7:26c, and translate the Christ the same way in both verses.
7:31c
will He perform more signs than this man?: This is a rhetorical question. It implies the answer “no.” The people used it to make a strong statement, an exclamation. They were saying that the Messiah/Christ would certainly not do more signs than Jesus had done. In other words, Jesus’ signs showed that he was the Messiah.
There are two ways to translate this exclamation:
• Use a rhetorical question implying the answer “no.” For example:
would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
he will not do more miracles than this man has done, will he?
• Use a statement. For example:
he will certainly not do more miracles than this man has done!
Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is most natural in your language.
The conjunction than indicates comparison. The people compared the number of signs that Jesus had done with the number that the Messiah might do. They did not think that the Messiah would do more signs, so Jesus must be the Messiah. Translate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language. For example:
will he be superior to this Jesus in doing miracles?
-or-
will he do more miracles than the miracles of this man Jesus?
this man: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man refers to Jesus. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:
this man ⌊Jesus⌋
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