Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 20:3:
Noongar: “Jesus replied, ‘Now first I want to ask you something.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “Yesus said: ‘I, I also have a question for you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa answered them he said, ‘I also have to ask you something. Tell me,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, ‘I also have a question for you; you answer first what I ask you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Jesus then said, ‘I also have something to inquire of you first. Tell me” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, saying, ‘I will also question you. Tell me.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
Here, Jesus is addressing religious leaders with the formal pronoun, showing respect. Compare that with the typical address with the informal pronoun of the religious leaders.
The only two exceptions to this are Luke 7:40/43 and 10:26 where Jesus uses the informal pronoun as a response to the sycophantic use of the formal pronoun by the religious leaders (see formal pronoun: religious leaders addressing Jesus).
In most Dutch translations, the same distinctions are made, with the exception of Luke 10:26 where Jesus is using the formal pronoun. In Afrikaans and Western Frisian the informal pronoun is used throughout.
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 show different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are 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, kotae-rare-ru (答えられる) or “answer” is used.
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 show 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. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
erōtēsō humas kagō logon ‘I too will ask you a question.’ For logos meaning ‘question.’
kai eipate moi ‘and tell me’; kai is semantically redundant. The imperative calls for an answer to the direct question of v. 4.
(V. 4) to baptisma Iōannou ex ouranou ēn ē ex anthrōpōn ‘was the baptism of (i.e. preached and administered by) John from heaven or from men (i.e. of divine or human origin, due to divine or human initiative)?’
Translation:
Since Jesus replied with another question a literal rendering of he answered them is sometimes unacceptable; hence, ‘he spoke to them again’ (Navajo).
I also will ask you a question, or, ‘now let me ask you a question’ (cf. Good News Translation). The combination ‘ask a question’ is too redundant in some languages; hence, ‘I too will ask you something’ (cf. Sranan Tongo, Javanese, Toraja-Sa’dan).
(V. 4) Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men, or, “did John’s right to baptize come from God or from man” (Good News Translation), ‘when John baptized, was his power from heaven or from man’ (Kekchi), ‘the baptism of John, (was) its origin from heaven or from man’ (some Indonesian languages), ‘who caused/sent/told John to baptize (people), God (in heaven) or men?’ For baptism see on 3.3.
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.
“I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me…”: The Berean Standard Bible places the words Jesus replied in the middle of what Jesus said. This is good English style. However, in some languages, it may be necessary to place these words at the beginning of 20:3. For example:
He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me…” (New International Version)
I will also ask you a question…Tell Me: It was common among Jews to answer one question by asking another question. The phrase Tell Me introduces the question that Jesus intended to ask the leaders. In some languages it may be more natural to include this phrase with the question in 20:4 or to leave it implied. See the General Comment on 20:3–4 at the end of 20:4.
I…also: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I…also implies, “⌊Just as you asked me a question,⌋ I too, will ask you a question.”
you: The pronoun you refers to the three groups of leaders who came to Jesus in 20:1.
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