gain your lives

The Greek in Luke 21:19 that is translated as “you will gain your lives (or: souls)” is translated as “you will find real life” in Uab Meto.

soul

The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “soul” in English is translated in Chol with a term that refers to the invisible aspects of human beings (source: Robert Bascom), in Yagaria with oune or “shadow, reflection” (source: Renck, p. 81), and in Elhomwe as “heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

The Mandarin Chinese línghún (靈魂 / 灵魂), literally “spirit-soul,” is often used for “soul” (along with xīn [心] or “heart”). This is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32, see also Clara Ho-yan Chan in this article )

In Chichewa, moyo means both “soul” and “life.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also heart, soul, mind.

endurance

The Greek that is translated in English as “endurance” (or “patience”or “perseverance”) is translated in Tzotzil as “(good) strength of heart(s).” (Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)

In Isthmus Zapotec it is translated as “learning not to lose patience.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Luke 21:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 21:19:

  • Noongar: “‘Stand up firmly, and you will save yourselves.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “If your belief in Me does not falter, you will definitely receive good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If your trust does not move you will have life in heaven without end.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Hold tight to your trust in me, because by means of this you’ll be able to own the life which is without end.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore endure/have patience because that is the way you will obtain/enjoy the life that has no end.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And as long as your believing-in/obeying and trusting me holds fast even though you may be being caused hardship/suffering, it’s certain that life which has no ending will be yours.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

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 his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Luke 21:19

Exegesis:

en tē hupomonē humōn ‘by your endurance,’ cf. on 8.15. en here with instrumental meaning.

ktēsasthe tas psuchas humōn ‘gain your lives.’ Nestle reads ktēsesthe ‘you will gain,’ which is followed by the majority of translations. The clause may, like v. 18, be interpreted in a spiritual, or in a physical sense, here preferably the former. For ktaomai cf. on 18.12. For psuchē.

Translation:

By your endurance, or, “by standing firm” (New English Bible), ‘the holding that you hold through, will make that’ (Sranan Tongo, making use of a construction the language commonly employs to indicate emphasis); cf. also on “patience” in 8.15. The implied exhortation to endure may be made explicit, e.g. “never give up, for in this way you will…” (Good News Translation).

You will gain your lives, or, ‘you will win/acquire/obtain life (or, true life) for yourselves’ (cf. New English Bible), ‘you will find real life’ (Uab Meto), ‘you will become really able to live,’ the qualifications ‘true’ or ‘real’ being added to indicate that this is a reference to what transcends earthly life.

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.