complete verse (Luke 20:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 20:3:

  • Nyongar: “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)

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formal pronoun: Jesus addressing religious leaders

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 Translator 2002, 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.

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