amazed / astonished / marvel

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The Greek that is translated as “astonished” or “amazed” or “marvel” in English is translated in Pwo Karen as “stand up very tall.” (In John 5:20, source: David Clark)

Elsewhere it is translated as “confusing the inside of the head” (Mende), “shiver in the liver” (Uduk, Laka), “to lose one’s heart” (Mískito, Tzotzil), “to shake” (Southern Bobo Madaré), “to be with mouth open” (Panao Huánuco Quechua) (source: Bratcher / Nida), “to stand with your mouth open” (Citak) (source: Stringer 2007, p. 120), “ceasing to think with the heart” (Bulu), “surprise in the heart” (Yamba) (source for this and one above: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. ), or “have one’s mouth full” (Maan (source: Don Slager).

In Mark 5:20 and elsewhere where the astonishment is a response to listening to Jesus, the translation is “listen quietly” in Central Tarahumara, “forget listening” (because they were so absorbed in what they heard that they forgot everything else) in San Miguel El Grande Mixtec, “it was considered very strange by them” in Tzeltal (source: Bratcher / Nida), “in glad amazement” (to distinguish it from other kinds of amazement) (Quetzaltepec Mixe) (source: Robert Bascom), or “breath evaporated (or “escaped”)” (Mairasi) (source: Enngavoter 2004).

In Western Dani astonishment is emphasized with direct speech. In Mark 1:22, for instance, it says: “Wi!” yinuk, pi wareegwaarak — “They were all amazed, saying ‘Oh'” (source: Lourens De Vries in The Bible Translator 1992, p. 333ff. )

In Low German it is translated as grote Oken maken or “make big eyes” (sometime followed by: un kreegn dat Stillswiegen: “and became silent”) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

In the Kölsch translation (Boch 2017) it is translated as brummte de Lück de Kopp or “the heads of the people buzzed,” Bauklötz jestaunt, lit. “marvel toy blocks,” and vür Staune de Muhl nit mieh zojekräch or “so full of marvel that they couldn’t close their mouths again.”

In the Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012) it is often translated as baff vor staune or “speechless because of their marvel.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

See also amazed and astonished, astonished (Mark 6:51), and I’m astonished.

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

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Mark 11:20-25 in Russian Sign Language >>

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The Greek that is usually translated as “scribe” in English “were more than mere writers of the law. They were the trained interpreters of the law and expounders of tradition.”

Here are a number of its (back-) translations:

  • Yaka: “clerk in God’s house”
  • Amganad Ifugao: “man who wrote and taught in the synagogue”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “teaching-writer” (“an attempt to emphasize their dual function”)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “book-wise person”
  • San Blas Kuna: “one who knew the Jews’ ways”
  • Loma: “educated one”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “one knowing holy paper”
  • Central Mazahua: “writer of holy words”
  • Indonesian: “expert in the Torah”
  • Pamona: “man skilled in the ordinances” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Sinhala: “bearer-of-the-law”
  • Marathi: “one-learned-in-the-Scriptures”
  • Shona (1966): “expert of the law”
  • Balinese: “expert of the books of Torah”
  • Ekari: “one knowing paper/book”
  • Tboli: “one who taught the law God before caused Moses to write” (or “one who taught the law of Moses”) (source for this and 5 above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Noongar: Mammarapa-Warrinyang or “law man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Mairasi: “one who writes and explains Great Above One’s (=God’s) prohibitions” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Chichewa: “teacher of Laws” (source: Ernst Wendland)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “teachers of law”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “writer”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “person who teaches the law which Moses wrote”
  • Alekano: “man who knows wisdom” (source for this and four above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Saint Lucian Creole French: titcha lwa sé Jwif-la (“teacher of the law of the Jews”) (source: David Frank in Lexical Challenges in the St. Lucian Creole Bible Translation Project, 1998)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “one who teaches the holy writings”
  • Atatláhuca Mixtec: “teacher of the words of the law”
  • Coatlán Mixe: “teacher of the religious law”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “one who is a teacher of the law which God gave to Moses back then”
  • Tepeuxila Cuicatec: “one who know well the law” (Source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Huixtán Tzotzil: “one who mistakenly thought he was teaching God’s commandments”(Huixtán Tzotzil frequently uses the verb -cuy to express “to mistakenly think something” from the point of view of the speaker; source: Marion M. Cowan in Notes on Translation 20/1966, pp. 6ff.)
  • Sumau: “law-knowing men” (source: this blog post by Todd Owen)
  • German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “theologian” and the 1998 translation by Walter Jens: “interpreter of scriptures” (Schriftausleger)
  • English translation by Scot McKnight (The Second Testament, publ. 2023): Covenant Code scholar

In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “expert” and “law.” (Source: Anna Smith)


“Scribe” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL , used with permission)

complete verse (Mark 11:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 11:18:

  • Uma: “When the leading priests and religion teachers heard what Yesus had done, they sought for a scheme/way to kill him. They were nervous, for all the people were glad hearing his teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the leaders of the priests and the teachers of the religious law were told about what Isa did. They were afraid of him because all the crowds of people were amazed at his preaching. Therefore they looked for a way so that they could kill Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard about what Jesus did. They were afraid of Jesus for the many people liked to hear his teaching. That’s why the leaders were looking for a way that they might be permitted to have Jesus put to death.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The leaders of the priests and the teachers of the law heard-the-news of what Jesus had done, and they were looking-for how they would kill him. Because they were afraid of him, because of-the-fact-that the many-people were amazed at what he was teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This was heard by the chiefs of the priests and the explainers of law. From then on, they were looking for how they could get Jesus killed, for they were afraid of him. Because as for the crowd, they were really fascinated with his teaching.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “The headmen of the religious leaders [chief priests] and people who write and explain Great Above One’s prohibitions [scribes] heard this message. Then they looked for bait/lies/excuse/way to kill him because they were afraid of Him: ‘The people will follow Him’ said they and they were afraid that the people would not respect religious leaders [priests]. Because all the people gazed at him their-breath-evaporated [in amazement] because of his strong words.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)