Mark 10:29 – TIPs

gospel

In choosing a word for the Greek that is typically translated as “gospel” in English, a number of languages construct a phrase meaning “good news,” “joyful report” or “happiness-bringing words.” In some instances such a phrase may be slightly expanded in order to convey the proper meaning, e.g. “new good word” (Tzotzil), or it may involve some special local usage:

“good story” (Navajo (Dinė))
“joyful telling” (Tausug)
“joyful message” (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
cohuen ñoñets or “message of God” (Shilluk) (source: Nida 1964, p. 237)
“good news” (Yanesha’) (source: Martha Duff in Holzhausen 1991, p. 11)
“voice of good spirit” (San Blas Kuna) (source: Claudio and Marvel Iglesias in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 85ff. )
suviśēṣattinṟe (0സുവിശേഷം) or “good narrative” (Malayalam)
susmachar (ସୁସମାଚାର) or “good matter” (Odia)
suvārteya (ಸುವಾರ್ತೆಯ) or “good word” (Kannada) (source for this and two above: Y.D. Tiwari in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 132ff. )
the German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) translates as “all-transformative good news” (alles verändernde gute Botschaft), also “good news,” and the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) as “message of salvation” (Heilsbotschaft)

Vitaly Voinov tells this story about the translation into Rutul (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

“In Rutul, it was only during the most recent consultant checking session that I realized that the Rutul word for Gospel – Incir (from Arabic إنجيل — Injil) — sounds and looks exactly like the word that means ‘fig’ in Rutul. This is a case of homonymy, in which two completely non-related words from differing historical sources have come to sound exactly alike. Most Rutul speakers know that incir means ‘fig’ because they grow this fruit in their yard or buy it at the market every week. However, because the religious sphere of discourse was heavily disparaged during the Soviet era, most people simply never encountered Incir with the meaning of ‘Gospel.’ This meaning of the word, which Rutuls of the pre-Soviet era knew from the Koran, simply fell into disuse and never had much reason for returning into contemporary Rutul since there is no Christian church established among the people. So if the translator continues to use the term Incir as the rendering for ‘Gospel,’ he runs the risk that most readers will, at best, read the word with a smile because they know that it also means ‘fig,’ and, at worst, will completely misunderstand the word. The seemingly ‘easy’ solution in this case is for the translator to use a Rutul neologism meaning ‘Joyful Message’ or ‘Good News,’ [see above] instead of Incir; but in fact it is not all that easy to make this change if the translator himself insists on using the historical word because at least some Rutuls still understand it as meaning ‘Gospel.’ This is a situation in which the translation team has to gradually grow into the understanding that a fully intelligible translation of Scripture is preferable to one that maintains old words at the cost of alienating much of the readership.”

For “good news,” see also Isaiah 52:7.

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 Nepali translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and other people with the medium honorific pronoun timīlē (तिमीले) or timīlēharū (तिमीलेहरू). His disciples respond with a high honorific pronoun. (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )

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

truly truly - I tell you

The Greek that is often translated in English as “truly, truly, I tell you” or similar is translated in the Russian BTI translation (publ. 2015) as Поверьте Мне (Pover’te Mne) or “trust me.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

Mark 10:23 - 31 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 10:23-31 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:

© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)

Jesús miró a los discípulos que vinieron y dijo: “Huy, qué difícil es que personas ricas se junten al reino de Dios.”

Los discípulos estaban sorprendidos y Jesús (dijo): Sí es difícil ir al reino de Dios. Por ejemplo: si tienes una aguja, ¿puedes empujar un camello a través el ollo del aguja? No, es difícil.

En la misma manera es muy difícil que personas ricas se junten al reino de Dios.” Los discípulos lo miraron con sorpresa y dijeron: “¿Cómo puede ser salavdo una persona?”

Jesús los miró y dijo: “Mira, una persona no puede salvar a una persona, es imposible, pero Dios puede todo.”

Los discípulos lo miraron y Pedro dijo: “Nosotros hemos dejado todas las cosas y ahora estamos juntos contigo.”

Jesús dijo: “Les digo la verdad, si algunas personas dejan a sus padres o a hermanos o a hijos, o dejan su casa o la tierra que es su propiedad y se van a predicar y ser testigos de mi, les advierto que seguro en el futuro Dios les dará cien veces más: propiedades de tierra, casas, hermanos, madres, y hijos pero ni modo que las personas estarán en contra de uds y los maltratarán y uds sufrirán y morirán pero después Dios les dará la vida eterna.

Ahora hay personas distinguidos que en el futuro fracasarán y estarán vulgares, y otras personas humildes y vulgares que en el futuro superarán y estarán distinguidos.

Jesus looked at the disciples who came to him and said: “Wow, how difficult it is for rich people to join the Kingdom of God.”

The disciples were surprised and Jesus (said): “Yes, it is difficult to go and join the kingdom of God. For example, if you have a needle, can you push a camel through the eye of the needle? No, it’s difficult.

“In the same way it is very difficult for rich people to join the kingdom of God.” The disciples looked at him with surprise and said: “How can a person be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said: “Look, a person cannot save a person, it is impossible, but God can do everything.”

The disciples watched him and Peter said: “We have left all things and now we are with you.”

Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, if some people leave their parents or siblings or children, or they leave their houses or the land that they own and they go off to preach and witness of me, I tell you that surely in the future God will give them a hundred times more: lands to own, houses, siblings, mothers and children but never mind that the people will be against you and will mistreat you and you will suffer and die, but afterwards God will give you eternal life.

“There are people who are now distinguished and who in the future will fail and become lowly, and other people who are humble and lowly and who in the future will surpass and become distinguished.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 10:17-22 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 10:32-34 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 10:17-31 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 10:17-31 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:

Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

A man ran up to Jesus, knelt down before him and said:

— You are a good teacher! I want to have eternal life! What do I have to do to get it?

Jesus:

— Why do you call me “good teacher”? In the whole world, God alone is good. You know God’s commandments, don’t you? Don’t murder. Don’t violate marital fidelity. Don’t steal. Don’t cheat other people. Respect your father and mother.

That man said:

— Master! I have been practicing all these commandments since my childhood. I obey all the commandments.

Jesus looked at him. He liked the man. Jesus said:

— One thing is lacking in you. Go and sell everything you have. Give all the money you have to the poor. Your wealth will be in heaven. And when you have distributed everything, come and follow me.

The man was very sad and went away sad. This man had many houses, much land, much livestock. He had a great deal of wealth.

Jesus said to the disciples:

— It’s very hard and difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

The disciples were confused.

Jesus said:

— My children, it is very hard and difficult for such a man to enter the kingdom of God. You know that it takes effort to thread the eye of a needle. Imagine that you have to thread a camel with its two big humps into the eye of a needle. It is very hard and difficult to do such a thing. And it is even more difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.

The disciples were confused and began to say:

– Who then can be saved?

Jesus said to them:

The disciples were confused and began to say:

— Who then can be saved?

Jesus said to them:

— If you try to enter the kingdom of God by yourselves, it is impossible. God alone can provide the way there.

Peter said:

— We have left everything and are ready to follow you.

Jesus said:

— I tell you precisely that the person who will leave his brothers, his sisters, mother and father, children, and fields and will be ready to follow me, who is ready to testify about Jesus in front of everyone, such a person even in his lifetime will receive a hundred times more houses, brothers, sisters, more fields, mothers, children, but will also receive many sufferings, but such a person will have eternal life.

And Jesus also said:

— He who now holds a high position, will therefore be humbled. And he who is now humbled will be exalted!

Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):

Один человек подбежал к Иисусу, пал перед ним на колени и сказал:

— Ты — добрый учитель! Я хочу получить жизнь вечную! Что нужно сделать для этого?

Иисус:

— Зачем ты называешь меня «добрый учитель»? Во всем мире один только Бог добрый. Ты ведь знаешь заповеди Бога? Не убивай. Не нарушай супружескую верность. Не воруй. Не обманывай других людей. Уважай отца и мать.

Тот человек сказал:

— Учитель! Я исполняю все эти заповеди с детства. Я повинуюсь всем заповедям.

Иисус посмотрел на него. Этот человек ему понравился. Иисус сказал:

— Одной вещи недостает тебе. Иди и все, что у тебя есть, продай. Все полученные деньги раздай бедным. Твое богатство будет на небе. И когда ты все раздашь, приходи и следуй за мной.

Этот человек сильно огорчился и грустный ушел. У этого человек было много домов, много земли, много домашнего скота. У него было очень много богатства.

Иисус сказал ученикам:

— Богатому человеку войти в Царство Божье очень тяжело и трудно.

Ученики смутились.

Иисус сказал:

— Дети мои! Такому человеку войти в Царствие Бога очень тяжело и трудно. Вы знаете, что нужно постараться, чтобы вдеть нитку в ушко иголки. Представьте, что вы должны вдеть верблюда с его двумя большими горбами в такое ушко иголки. Очень тяжело и трудно сделать такое. А богатому человеку войти в Царство Бога еще труднее.

Ученики смутились и стали говорить:

— Кто же тогда может спастись?

Иисус им сказал:

— Если вы сами стараетесь войти в Царство Бога, это невозможно. Только Бог один может дать путь туда.

Пётр сказал:

— Мы оставили все и готовы следовать за тобой.

Иисус сказал:

— Точно говорю вам, что человек, который оставит братьев своих, оставит сестер своих, мать и отца, детей, поле и будет готов следовать за мной, кто готов свидетельствовать об Иисусе перед всеми, такой человек еще при своей жизни получит в сто раз больше домов, братьев, сестер, больше полей, матерей, детей, но также получит множество страданий, но будет у такого человека жизнь вечная.

И еще Иисус сказал:

— Кто сейчас занимает высокое положение, потому будет унижен. А кто сейчас унижен, будет превознесен!

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 10:13-16 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 10:32-34 in Russian Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 10:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 10:29:

Uma: “Yesus said: ‘Indeed I tell you: whoever leaves his relatives, his mother or his father, his children or his house or his gardens because of following me, and because of the Good News,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘Yes,’ said Isa, ‘truly I tell you, if a person leaves his house or his siblings male-female, or his mother and father, or his children, or his land, if he leaves these because of his love for me and in order to be able to go and carry the good news,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said, ‘Don’t you forget that anyone who leaves his house, his brothers and sisters, his mother and father, his child and his lands in order to follow me and to spread the good news,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘Yes agreed,’ said Jesus, ‘and this that I say to you is true, that whoever leaves his house, his siblings/cousins, his father and mother, his children and his land due-to his being-joined to me and his preaching of the good news,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, saying to them, ‘This is the truth which I will say to you, that there’s nobody at all who won’t be rewarded who can-leave (implies when necessary, not total desertion) his household, his siblings, his parents and children, or his livelihood, because of his serving me and spreading the Good News.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 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. )

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)