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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 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.
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
The Hebrew adonai in the Old Testament typically refers to God. The shorter adon (and in two cases in the book of Daniel the Aramaic mare [מָרֵא]) is also used to refer to God but more often for concepts like “master,” “owner,” etc. In English Bible translations all of those are translated with “Lord” if they refer to God.
In English Old Testament translations, as in Old Testament translations in many other languages, the use of Lord (or an equivalent term in other languages) is not to be confused with Lord (or the equivalent term with a different typographical display for other languages). While the former translates adonai, adon and mare, the latter is a translation for the tetragrammaton (YHWH) or the Name of God. See tetragrammaton (YHWH) and the article by Andy Warren-Rothlin in Noss / Houser, p. 618ff. for more information.
In the New Testament, the Greek term kurios has at least four different kinds of use:
referring to “God,” especially in Old Testament quotations,
meaning “master” or “owner,” especially in parables, etc.,
as a form of address (see for instance John 4:11: “Sir, you have no bucket”),
or, most often, referring to Jesus
In the first and fourth case, it is also translated as “Lord” in English.
Most languages naturally don’t have one word that covers all these meanings. According to Bratcher / Nida, “the alternatives are usually (1) a term which is an honorific title of respect for a high-ranking person and (2) a word meaning ‘boss’, ‘master’, or ‘chief.’ (…) and on the whole it has generally seemed better to employ a word of the second category, in order to emphasize the immediate personal relationship, and then by context to build into the word the prestigeful character, since its very association with Jesus Christ will tend to accomplish this purpose.”
When looking at the following list of back-translations of the terms that translators in the different languages have used for both kurios and adonai to refer to God and Jesus respectively, it might be helpful for English readers to recall the etymology of the English “Lord.” While this term might have gained an exalted meaning in the understanding of many, it actually comes from hlaford or “loaf-ward,” referring to the lord of the castle who was the keeper of the bread (source: Rosin 1956, p. 121).
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Following are some of the solutions that don’t rely on a different typographical display (see above):
Iyansi: Mwol. Mwol is traditionally used for the “chief of a group of communities and villages” with legal, temporal, and spiritual authority (versus the “mfum [the term used in other Bantu languages] which is used for the chief of one community of people in one village”). Mwol is also used for twins who are “treated as special children, highly honored, and taken care of like kings and queens.” (Source: Kividi Kikama in Greed / Kruger, p. 396ff.)
Binumarien: Karaambaia: “fight-leader” (Source: Oates 1995, p. 255)
Warlpiri: Warlaljamarri (owner or possessor of something — for more information tap or click here)
We have come to rely on another term which emphasizes God’s essential nature as YHWH, namely jukurrarnu (see tetragrammaton (YHWH)). This word is built on the same root jukurr– as is jukurrpa, ‘dreaming.’ Its basic meaning is ‘timelessness’ and it is used to describe physical features of the land which are viewed as always being there. Some speakers view jukurrarnu in terms of ‘history.’ In all Genesis references to YHWH we have used Kaatu Jukurrarnu. In all Mark passages where kurios refers to God and not specifically to Christ we have also used Kaatu Jukurrarnu.
New Testament references to Christ as kurios are handled differently. At one stage we experimented with the term Watirirririrri which refers to a ceremonial boss of highest rank who has the authority to instigate ceremonies. While adequately conveying the sense of Christ’s authority, there remained potential negative connotations relating to Warlpiri ceremonial life of which we might be unaware.
Here it is that the Holy Spirit led us to make a chance discovery. Transcribing the personal testimony of the local Warlpiri pastor, I noticed that he described how ‘my Warlaljamarri called and embraced me (to the faith)’. Warlaljamarri is based on the root warlalja which means variously ‘family, possessions, belongingness’. A warlaljamarri is the ‘owner’ or ‘possessor’ of something. While previously being aware of the ‘ownership’ aspect of warlaljamarri, this was the first time I had heard it applied spontaneously and naturally in a fashion which did justice to the entire concept of ‘Lordship’. Thus references to Christ as kurios are now being handled by Warlaljamarri.” (Source: Stephen Swartz, The Bible Translator 1985, p. 415ff. )
Mairasi: Onggoao Nem (“Throated One” — “Leader,” “Elder”) or Enggavot Nan (“Above-One”) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Obolo: Okaan̄-ene (“Owner of person(s)”) (source: Enene Enene)
Lotha Naga: Opvui (“owner of house / field / cattle”) — since both “Lord” and YHWH are translated as Opvui there is an understanding that “Opvui Jesus is the same as the Opvui of the Old Testament”
Seediq: Tholang, loan word from Min Nan Chinese (the majority language in Taiwan) thâu-lâng (頭儂): “Master” (source: Covell 1998, p. 248)
Thai: phra’ phu pen cao (พระผู้เป็นเจ้า) (divine person who is lord) or ong(kh) cao nay (องค์เจ้านาย) (<divine classifier>-lord-boss) (source: Stephen Pattemore)
Arabic often uses different terms for adonai or kurios referring to God (al-rabb الرب) and kurios referring to Jesus (al-sayyid الـسـيـد). Al-rabb is also the term traditionally used in Arabic Christian-idiom translations for YHWH, and al-sayyid is an honorary term, similar to English “lord” or “sir” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).
Tamil also uses different terms for adonai/kurios when referring to God and kurios when referring to Jesus. The former is Karttar கர்த்தர், a Sanskrit-derived term with the original meaning of “creator,” and the latter in Āṇṭavar ஆண்டவர், a Tamil term originally meaning “govern” or “reign” (source: Natarajan Subramani).
Burunge: Looimoo: “owner who owns everything” (in the Burunge Bible translation, this term is only used as a reference to Jesus and was originally used to refer to the traditional highest deity — source: Michael Endl in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 48)
Yagaria: Souve, originally “war lord” (source: Renck, p. 94)
Aguacateco: Ajcaw ske’j: “the one to whom we belong and who is above us” (source: Rita Peterson in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 49)
Konkomba: Tidindaan: “He who is the owner of the land and reigns over the people” (source: Lidorio 2007, p. 66)
Chichewa: AmbuyeAmbuye comes from the singular form Mbuye which is used to refer to: (1) someone who is a guardian or protector of someone or group of people — a grandparent who has founded a community or village; (2) someone who is a boss or master over a group of people or servants and has absolute control over them; (3) owner of something, be it a property, animals and people who are bound under his/her rule — for people this was mostly commonly used in the context of slaves and their owner. In short, Mbuye is someone who has some authorities over those who call him/her their “Mbuye.” Now, when the form Ambuye is used it will either be for honorific when used for singular or plural when referring to more than one person. When this term is used in reference to God, it is for respect to God as he is acknowledged as a guardian, protector, and ruler of everything. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation).
Hdi uses rveri (“lion”) as a title of respect and as such it regularly translates adon in the Old Testament. As an address, it’s most often with a possessive pronoun as in rvera ɗa (“my lion” = “my lord” or “sir”). So, for example, Genesis 15:2 (“O Lord God”) is Rvera ɗa Yawe (“My lion Yahweh”) or Ruth to Boaz in Ruth 2:13: “May I find your grace [lit. good-stomach] my lion.” This ties in nicely with the imagery of the Lord roaring like a lion (Hosea 11:10; Amos 3:8; Joel 3:16). Better still, this makes passages like Revelation 5:5 even richer when we read about rveri ma taba məndəra la Yuda, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah”. In Revelation 19:16, Jesus is rveri ta ghəŋa rveriha “the lion above lions” (“lord of lords”). (Source: Drew Maust)
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew adonai was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments: “Another case is the use of kurios referring to Jesus. For Yahweh (in English Bibles: ‘the Lord‘), the Septuagint uses kurios. Although the term kurios usually has to do with one’s authority over others, when the New Testament authors use this word from the Septuagint to refer to Jesus, they are making an extraordinary claim: Jesus of Nazareth is to be identified with Yahweh.”
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
eulogēmenos ho erchomenos ho basileus en onomati kuriou ‘blessed (is) the coming one, the King, in the name of the Lord,’ cf. on 1.42. Since ho erchomenos is virtually a title (cf. on 7.19), ho basileus is in apposition to it. en onomati kuriou goes with ho erchomenos.
en ouranō eirēnē kai doxa en hupsistois ‘in heaven (is) peace, and glory in the highest,’ chiastic clause. For eirēnē cf. on 1.79. Here it refers to the eschatological peace after the expulsion of Satan from heaven (cf. 10.18). For doxa en hupsistois cf. on 2.14.
Translation:
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, preferably, ‘blessed is he who comes, the King, in the name of the Lord.’ Cf. also on 13.35.
Peace in heaven. For peace see on 1.79; the positive aspect of the term is dominant here.
Glory in the highest, i.e. glory/honour/praise is in the highest (heaven). A personal referent may be preferable or obligatory here, e.g. ‘to God in the highest (heaven),’ ‘to the Most High,’ or simply, “to God” (Good News Translation); and one may have to shift to a verbal construction, e.g. ‘praised/exalted/honoured is’ (cf. Tzeltal), or, ‘we praise/exalt/honour.’ For glory and in the highest see on 2.14.
Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.
In Greek this verse begins with a verb that is often translated as “saying.” The Revised Standard Version and several other English versions translate it that way. It introduces what the people said as they shouted praises. Some other ways to translate it are:
They said (New Century Version) -or-
shouting (New American Standard Bible)
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!: This clause is very similar to 13:35c which says, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” It is a quote from Psalm 118:26. Here in 19:38 the statement adds the word King. It indicates that this coming person, the king, was especially blessed by God. This is one of the praises that people shouted as they welcomed Jesus.
In Greek, this statement of praise has no verb. It is literally: “Blessed the coming one, the king, in the name of the Lord.” The phrase “the coming one” is a title that Jewish people used for the Messiah. Here “the coming one, the king” implies that Jesus was the Messiah and King whom they had expected to come.
Some ways to translate this statement of praise are:
• As a statement or exclamation. For example:
⌊The Lord⌋ has blessed the king who comes in his name! -or-
Blessed is the Coming One, the King, who ⌊will rule⌋ in the name of the Lord!
• As a wish or prayer. For example:
May the Lord bless the king who comes in his name!
• As a command or encouragement to praise the king. For example:
Praise/Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! (New Living Translation (1996)) -or-
Praise to the king who comes in the Lord’s name!
In some languages it may be more natural to use more than one sentence. For example:
The one ⌊we expected⌋ has come! He is the king, and God has blessed him! -or-
Blessed is the Coming One! He is the king whom God has sent!
Blessed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed refers to God showing favor to someone. Some other ways to translate Blessed in this context are:
Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
The Lord has favored the king who comes in his name. -or-
The Lord has done good things for this king who comes in his name!
See how you translated this word in 14:14–15. See also bless, Meaning 1, in the Glossary for more information.
the King who comes in the name of the Lord!: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in the name of the Lord means “as the representative of the Lord.” It indicates that the Lord sent Jesus with authority to represent him. As the phrase is used here in the context of being the King, it indicates that Jesus would rule as king with God’s authority.
Other ways to translate the King who comes in the name of the Lord are:
the king whom the Lord sent -or-
who comes as king with the Lord’s authority -or-
the one who comes ⌊to rule⌋ as king in the Lord’s name
the Lord: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Lord refers to God. It quotes Psalm 118:26, which uses Yahweh, the personal name of God. In some languages the word for “Lord” is not normally used for God, so it may be misunderstood. If that is true in your language, you may make explicit that it refers to God. For example:
the Lord ⌊God⌋
See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.
19:38b–c
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!: Like the phrase in 19:38a, the phrases Peace in heaven and glory in the highest are shouts of joy. In Greek they are arranged in a special poetic form, literally:
in heaven peace and
glory in the highest
In some languages it may be good to translate 19:38 as poetry. The praises in 19:38b–c are similar to what the angels said in 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.”
In Greek, there is no verb in these clauses. In some languages it is necessary to supply a verb. For example:
In heaven ⌊there is⌋ peace, and glory ⌊comes⌋ to God! -or-
Peace ⌊fills⌋ heaven, and God ⌊receives⌋ great glory!
in heaven…in the highest!: The phrases in heaven and in the highest refer to heaven where God dwells. Some scholars believe that in this context, one or both of these phrases may be a way to refer indirectly to God himself. Jewish people often showed respect to God by referring to him in an indirect way. In this context both God and heaven are probably implied.
In some languages it may be helpful to refer to heaven in one of the phrases and to God in the other phrase. Refer to the examples in the preceding note. Another way to translate this is:
Peace in heaven and glory to God! (Good News Translation)
See heaven, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.
19:38b
Peace in heaven: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Peace in heaven implies that Jesus’ coming as King and Messiah was bringing peace between God and his people. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. In many languages a verb is needed. The form of the verb should refer to either the present or immediate future. For example:
⌊Now there will be⌋ peace ⌊with God⌋ in heaven. -or-
⌊The king⌋ ⌊is bringing⌋ peace in heaven ⌊between God and his people⌋.
Peace: The word Peace refers to a condition of harmony, health, and prosperity. In this condition, people are living in harmony with others. They are secure and calm. They are not worried or in conflict. Peace often implies the security that comes from a good relationship with God.
In this context, the word Peace describes the relationship between God and people. This indicates that people are living in harmony with God. God is not angry with people, and people are not hostile toward God.
Some ways to translate Peace in this context are:
• Use a general term that can be used in different contexts to describe various types of harmony and security. For example:
well-being -or-
harmony
• Use a more specific term that is appropriate to describe the blessedness of a harmonious relationship with God.
• Use an idiom in your language that expresses the meaning.
See the note on Peace at 19:42b for a suggested footnote for the word Peace. See peace, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.
19:38c
glory in the highest: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glory in the highest was a shout of praise. It indicates that God in the highest has glory and deserves glory. It implies that people should praise God and speak of his glory. Express this in a way that would be natural for praise in your language. It may be appropriate to make this a separate sentence. For example:
Glory/honor ⌊belongs to God⌋ ⌊who lives⌋ in the highest ⌊place⌋! -or-
How glorious ⌊is our God⌋ in his dwelling place! -or-
⌊All people should⌋ praise God in heaven for his glory/majesty!
In this verse God’s glory is connected to the coming of Jesus as Messiah/King. Use a verb that is appropriate for this context. For example:
and God ⌊receives⌋ ⌊great⌋ glory/praise!
glory: The word glory is used in different ways. It refers to the honor and praise that God deserves. It also often refers to the greatness or magnificence of God. Translate it in an appropriate way for this context.
See also “glory” in Key Biblical Terms.
in the highest: The phrase in the highest refers to heaven. Several versions translate “in highest heaven.” However, the phrase does not imply that some areas of heaven are higher than others. Be careful not to imply that in your translation.
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