The Greek that is translated as “buying” and “selling” in English is both translated in Ulithian as “exchange.” Stephen Hre Kio (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 246f. ) explains: “There are buyers and sellers in the Temple whom Jesus drove away. But Ulithians do not buy or sell; they only exchange. And so we have ‘exchange’ for both buying and selling.”
In righteous anger he attacked hypocrisy (image)
“Jesus is doing something extremely dangerous here. The Thai temple is a place in which it is considered by religious people inappropriate to show any anger or strong emotions. It has to be an extremely urgent reason for someone to do something as violent as this in such a sacred space.”
Drawing by Sawai Chinnawong who employs northern and central Thailand’s popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes; explanation by Paul DeNeui. From That Man Who Came to Save Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul H. DeNeui, William Carey Library, 2010.
For more images by Sawai Chinnawong in TIPs see here.
sell
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sell” in English is translated in Noongar as wort-bangal or “away-barter.” Note that “buy” is translated as bangal-barranga or “get-barter.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
See also buy and buying / selling.
The Angry Christ
Painting by Lino Pontebon, “an artist from the Negros island of the Philippines. The area in which he lives has been the scene of considerable military action and this has added to the already hard life of the peasants. His painting of the angry Christ captures a mood in the Philippines and reflects the prevailing anger of the people at being manipulated by forces beyond their control.
The painting became popular in many parts of the world, especially among the young. It counteracts the image of ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild’ with the reminder that Jesus also became angry at injustice.”
(Source for this and the image: The Bible Through Asian Eyes by Masao Takenaka and Ron O’Grady 1991)
Mark 11:15 - 19 in Mexican Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 11:15-19 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 y los discípulos fueron a Jerusalén y cerca del templo en la plaza afuera Jesús vio a las personas cambiando dinero y a otras personas vendiendo palomas.
Jesús caminó hacia ellos y quitaba las sillas y tiraba las mesas y el dinero se esparció. Las personas que estaban vendiendo y comprando Jesus los expulsó.
Jesús vio a otras personas que venían cargando cosas (y dijo): “¡Alto, está prohibido que uds se metan en el templo, tienen que dar la vuelta afuera!”
“Oigan, está escrito en el rollo que Dios dice: ‘El templo es mi casa para oración, todas las personas del país pueden congregar libremente para orar’, pero uds piensan que el templo parece una cueva donde entran los rateros y ladrones.”
Los líderes de los sacerdotes y los maestros de la Ley lo oyeron: “¡Caray!” tenían miedo y dialogaron acerca de que querían matar a Jesús, pero ¿cómo? Habría una estorba porque vieron a Jesús siempre enseñando y las personas que lo veían eran atraídos, lo consideraban maravilloso.
Después en la noche Jesús y los discípulos se fueron a otro lugar.
Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem and near the temple in the square outside it Jesus saw the people changing money and other people selling doves.
Jesus walked over to them and took away the chairs and threw over the tables and the money was spread out. The people who were selling and buying were thrown out by Jesus.
Jesus saw other people who came carrying things (and said): “Stop, it is prohibited to enter the temple, you have to go around it outside!”
“Hey, it is written in the scroll that God says: ‘The temple is my house for prayer, all the people of the country can gather freely to pray,’ but you think it is like a cave where pickpockets and thieves enter.”
The leaders of the priests and the teachers of the Law heard it: “Oh no!” They were afraid and discussed together that they wanted to kill Jesus, but how? There would be a disturbance because they always saw Jesus teaching and the people who saw him were attracted and thought it wonderful.
Afterwards, at night, Jesus and the disciples went off to another place.
Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
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Mark 11:20-26 in Mexican Sign Language >>
Mark 11:15-19 in Russian Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 11:15-19 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:
Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество
Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the Temple courtyard. There he saw many people selling and buying animals and pigeons. There were tables of coin changers. Jesus looked at all this, became angry, and began to drive away both the sellers and the buyers. There was a great commotion. Jesus overturned the tables and overturned the benches of the pigeon sellers. And he forbade people to go through the Temple courtyard to trade.
Jesus began to teach:
— Long ago two prophets in the Bible wrote: “This place will be called the house of the Lord, a place of prayer,” and you have turned it into a gathering of criminals.
Jesus continued to teach. The older priests and teachers of the law heard this and they all got angry and began to discuss how they could kill Jesus. They were afraid that a great many people were listening to Jesus favorably.
Evening came. Jesus and his disciples left the city and traveled back.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Иисус вместе с учениками пришли в Иерусалим. Иисус вошел во двор Храма. Там он увидел, что множество людей продают и покупают животных и голубей. Были там столы обменщиков монет. Иисус посмотрел на все это, разгневался и начал прогонять прочь и продавцов и покупателей. Случился великий переполох. Столы Иисус перевернул, скамейки продавцов голубей тоже перевернул. И он запретил, чтобы люди проходили через двор Храма, чтобы торговать.
Иисус начал учить:
— Еще давно два пророка в Библии писали: «Это место будет названо домом Господа, местом молитвы», а вы превратили его в сборище преступников.
Иисус продолжал учить. Старшие священники и учителя закона услышали это, все они разозлились и стали обсуждать, как им убить Иисуса. Они боялись, что очень многие люди слушали Иисуса благосклонно.
Наступил вечер. Иисус с учениками покинули город и отправились обратно.
Back-translation by Luka Manevich
<< Mark 11:12-14 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 11:20-25 in Russian Sign Language >>
Jesus Drives Out the Merchants
Following is a 1973 painting of the JESUS MAFA project, a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings:
From Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Image retrieved March 23, 2026. Original source: librairie-emmanuel.fr.
Jerusalem
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .
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