There is no word in Khanty that directly corresponds to the concept of “love.”
In one of the two Bible translation projects (see here ) for which so far (2025) Genesis, Jonah, Luke, and Acts have been translated, mosty (мосты) with the primary meaning of “to be needed” or “to be necessary” was often used when translating the Greek agapao (ἀγαπάω) and the Hebrew aheb (אָהַב) — “love” in English — and the Greek agapétos (ἀγαπητός) — “beloved” in English.
Interestingly, the same word is also used in verses like Luke 7:2 for the Greek entimos (ἔντιμος) or “value highly” or in Luke 20:17 and Acts 4:11 where the “cornerstone” is the “necessary stone.”
In the other translation project in Khanty, the gospel of Mark has been translated (see here ). Here the translators have used vŏłanga săma (вŏԓаӈа сăма), meaning “important” or “pleasant to the heart” when referring to love.
The Greek that is translated as “sinner” in English is translated in various ways:
“people with bad hearts” (“it is not enough to call them ‘people who do bad things,’ for though actions do reflect the heart, yet it is the hearts with which God is primarily concerned — see Matt. 15:19“) in Western Kanjobal
“people who are doing wrong things in their hearts” in San Blas Kuna (source for this and above: Nida 1952, p. 148)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:32:
Noongar: “If you love people, only if they love you, why will you be praised? Bad people love people if they love them!” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “‘If we love only the people who love use, God will not bless us. Even people whose actions are evil, they love people who love them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘If you only love those who love you, is there anything to praise you for? No. For even the sinful people certainly love those who love them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t you think that God will reward you if the only people you like are those who like you also. For even the transgressor people, they like also the people who like them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘If it’s only those who love you that you love, will you be rewarded do-you-suppose? Even sinful people, they of course love those who love them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For if only those who value you are valued by you, what more reward are you waiting for? For even sinners value those who value them.” (Source: Tagbanwa 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 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).
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 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.
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®).
In the form of a series of questions vv. 32-34 take up the theme of the love of enemies of v. 27 and, distinguishing it sharply from any form of mutual love or good treatment, lead clearly up to, and are contrasted with v. 35f.
kai ei agapate tous agapōntas humas ‘and if you love those who love you,’ conditional clause stating the case to which the following question applies. kai is best taken as connecting a new subject with what precedes.
poia humin charis estin? ‘what credit is that to you?’ poia is here equivalent to tis. For charis two interpretations are given, i.e. (1) ‘favour,’ i.e. with God or men, and (2) ‘credit,’ i.e. in the sight of God or in the judgment of men, preferably the latter.
kai gar ‘for even.’
hoi hamartōloi ‘sinners,’ cf. on 5.8. The article is generic.
Translation:
A passive construction may be idiomatically preferable here, ‘if (only) those who love you are loved by you,’ ‘if you love those by whom you are loved.’
What credit is that to you?, a rhetorical question anticipating a negative answer. The noun may be taken here in the sense of ‘appreciation/respect (to be won)’; hence, ‘what is there to-be-praised about you’ (Sundanese, similarly Sinhala), ‘you would be able to be thanked for what’ (Shona 1962, similarly Zarma, Cuyono); or of ‘merit (to be deserved),’ ‘reward (to be received)’; hence, ‘why do you think men/God should reward you for that,’ ‘God will not repay that type of loving-one-another’ (Tboli), ‘you would be able to deserve to be given what’ (Shona 1966).
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 this paragraph, Jesus stated that some people respond kindly only to those who treat them well. These people are just like the “sinners” whom they despise. He illustrated this with three examples. Each example is a rhetorical question that emphasizes that people like that will get no credit for such behavior.
Jesus then restated the three situations with commands. He said that God would reward them if they followed these commands.
6:32a–b
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that you will not receive any credit or praise in this situation. He said that when you love those who love you, it is no credit to you.
Some ways to translate this emphasis are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? (New Living Translation (2004))
• As a statement. For example:
If you love ⌊only⌋ those who love you, you ⌊certainly⌋ do not deserve any special praise for that.
Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.
love: This is the same word as in 6:27b.
what credit is that to you?: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as credit is literally “grace.” However, in this context, it means “being well thought of” either by people or by God. Jesus was emphasizing that loving people who love you is not exceptional or special. It is not something that will result in recognition or praise.
Some other ways to translate this are:
…will you receive favor/approval for that? -or-
…what praise should you get? (New Century Version) -or-
…will God praise you for that? (Contemporary English Version)
General Comment on 6:32a–b
In some languages, it may be natural to change the order of 6:32a and 6:32b. For example:
32bWhat credit/praise do you deserve 32afor loving those who love you?
6:32c
Even sinners love those who love them: In Greek, a conjunction connects this clause to the rhetorical question. This conjunction is literally “for/because.” For example:
For even sinners love those who love them. (New American Standard Bible)
This conjunction introduces the reason why people gain no special credit for loving the people who love them. Since sinners also love those who love them, it is clear that doing this is not exceptional and does not cause a person to deserve special favor. In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here. For example:
Even sinners love the people who love them. (New Century Version)
sinners: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sinners here refers to people who habitually sin against God. They do what is contrary to God’s law. Their actions, thoughts, and attitudes are not what God wants or approves. They also may fail to do what God wants them to do. Other ways to translate this are:
those/people who sin -or-
people who do not keep God’s law/laws -or-
those who do not obey God
The New International Version had single quote marks around the word “sinners,” but other English versions do not include them, and the New International Version (2011) no longer has them. It is not necessary to include them in your translation.
General Comment on 6:32a–c
In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 6:32a–c. For example:
32cEven sinners love the people who love them. 32aSo if you love only the people who love you, 32byou will certainly not receive any credit. -or-
32cEven sinners love the people who love them. So, 32byou will certainly not receive any credit 32aif you love only the people who love you.
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