Following are a number of back-translations of John 8:18:
Uma: “I have two witnesses: I myself am one, and the second is my Father who sent me.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Na, my words are true. I have two witnesses. I witness for myself, and my Father who sent me also witnesses for me.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I testify about myself, and my Father who sent me, he also testifies about me.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “All-right then, the one who attests-to me, it is I myself, and the second, it is my Father who sent me.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well I am the one, because I am testifying concerning myself. The second one who is also testifying is my Father who sent me.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Then now, I testify to the truth of what I say. The Father who sent me also testifies to the truth of what I say.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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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.
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, akashishiteo-rare-ru (証ししておられる) or “testifying” is used.
The Greek that is translated with the capitalized “Father” in English when referring to God is translated in Highland Totonac with the regular word for (biological) father to which a suffix is added to indicate respect. The same also is used for “Lord” when referring to Jesus. (Source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )
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. In the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017, God the Father is addressed with mi-chichi (御父). This form has the “divine” honorific prefix mi– preceding the archaic honorific form chichi for “father.”
If, however, Jesus addresses his Father, he is using chichi-o (父を) which is also highly respectful but does not have the “divine” honorific. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
For the Father as one who testifies on behalf of the Son, see 5.37.
Since the Father who sent me must be rendered in many languages as “my Father, who sent me,” note that the clause who sent me becomes non-restrictive, that is, it simply describes an aspect of the Father, without indicating which particular Father is to be understood. In many languages such a clause must be treated quite differently from a normal relative clause which specifies a particular individual, for example, it may be necessary to say “my Father (he is the one who sent me).”
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 .
I am One who testifies about Myself: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek clause literally as I am One who testifies about Myself. Jesus was saying that he was the first witness. He testified that he told the truth when he said that he was from God. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
I am one who testifies for myself. (New International Version)
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I am one of the witnesses who speaks about myself. (New Century Version)
about Myself: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek phrase literally as about Myself. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
about me (NET Bible Bible)
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for myself (New International Version)
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I testify that what I say is true
8:18b
the Father, who sent Me, also testifies about Me: Jesus declared that the second witness was God himself. God the Father joins with Jesus to confirm that Jesus was from God. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
my other witness is the Father, who sent me (New International Version)
-or-
and my Father, who sent me, testifies that I tell the truth
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