doubt

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “doubt” in English versions is translated with a term in Tzeltal that means “heart is gone.” (Nida 1952, p. 122)

In other languages it is represented by a variety of idiomatic renderings, and in the majority of instances the concept of duality is present, e.g. “to make his heart two” (Kekchí), “to be with two hearts” (Punu), “to have two hearts” (Maan), “to stand two” (Sierra de Juárez Zapotec), “to be two” or “to have two minds” (Navajo (Dinė)), “to think something else” (Tabasco Chontal), “to think two different things” (Shipibo-Conibo), “to have two thoughts” (Yaka and Huallaga Huánuco Quechua), or “two-things-soul” (Yucateco).

In some languages, however, doubt is expressed without reference to the concept of “two” or “otherness,” such as “to have whirling words in one’s heart” (Chol), “his thoughts are not on it” (Baoulé), “without thought in the heart” (Kako), or “to have a hard heart” (Piro). (Source: Bratcher / Nida, except for Yucateco: Nida 1947, p. 229, Kako: Reyburn 2002, p. 191, Huallaga Huánuco Quechua: Nida 1952, p. 123, and Maan: Don Slager)

In Elhomwe the same verb for “to doubt” and “to be amazed” is used, so often “to ask questions in heart” is used for “to doubt.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Chokwe “kwalajala is ‘to doubt.’ It is the repetitive of kuala, ‘to spread out in order, to lay (as a table), to make (as a bed),’ and is connected with kualula ‘to count.’ [It is therefore like] a person in doubt as one who can’t get a thing in proper order, who lays it out one way but goes back again and again and tries it other ways. It is connected with uncertainty, hesitation, lack of an orderly grasp of the ‘count’ of the subject.” (Source: D. B. Long in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 87ff. )

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)

See also Amen.

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.

See also formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese).

complete verse (Mark 11:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 11:23:

  • Uma: “Indeed I tell you: if for example a person says to this mountain: ‘Be lifted up, throw yourself(s) into the sea!’ it will happen, as long as his heart is not uncertain and he really believes that what he says will happen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Truly I say to you (pl.),’ he said, ‘whoever says to this mountain, ‘O mountain, leave from here and throw yourself into the sea,’ and if the person does not doubt in his liver but really trusts that what he said will come true, it will really be done for him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I tell you the truth, that if anyone says to that mountain, ‘Leave there and jump into the sea,’ and he does not doubt, but rather it is drawn tight in his breath that what he says will come to pass, then that which he says will be fulfilled.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “This that I say to you is true, if you believe without doubting that what you say will be-fulfilled, you can say to this hill, ‘You (sing.) leave here and jump in the ocean,’ and it will be-accomplished.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For this is really the truth, that whoever will order this hill, saying, ‘Leave there and throw yourself into the sea,’ as long as his mind isn’t in doubt for he is really sure of this which he has said, it’s certain that God will do it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation). Likewise, in Toposa all the different bodies of water are all called by one term as well: nya-name̥ (source: Schröder 2026, p. 101).

In Malagasy culture, the sea is perceived as sacred because it was a path taken by the ancestors. That is why the Malagasy word for the “sea” is ranomasina, which literally means “the sacred water.” The word masina actually has two different meanings: “salted” and “sacred/holy.” Salt is used for the conservation of some foods, such as meat or fish, that are to be set aside for later use. In this sense, the Malagasy phrase for “Holy Spirit” has the literal meaning of “Salted Spirit.” (Source: Brigitte Rabarijaona in The Bible Translator 2022, p. 103ff.)

“Sea” (or: “ocean”) is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “water land” and in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “very big lake.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

Mark 11:20 - 26 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 11:20-26 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)

La siguiente mañana Jesús y los discípulos estaban camiando y los discípulos vieron un árbol de higos secado, sus raíces secados.

Pedro se recordó y dijo: “Maestro, sólo ayer tú maldijiste el árbol y mira, está secado.”

Jesús dijo: “Uds deben tener fe, creer en Dios; yo les digo la verdad, si tienen fe y no hay dudas, pueden mandar a una montaña que se tira en el agua del mar.

Por eso cuando oran y piden y sienten que creen con una fe segura que Dios les dará, entonces pasará.

Les advierto: cuando uds oran, si recuerdan a alguien que tienes algo en su contra, mejor olvidenlo, y perdonenlo en la misma manera como el padre Dios en el cielo perdona a uds y borra sus pecados.

Si uds no lo perdonan, en la misma manera el padre Dios en el cielo no les perdonará y no borrará sus pecados.”


The next morning Jesus and the disciples were walking and the disciples saw a withered fig tree, its roots all dried up.

Peter remembered and said: “Teacher, just yesterday you cursed the three, and look it is withered.”

Jesus said: “You need to have faith, to believe in God; I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you can order a mountain that it takes itself off into the water of the sea.

“Therefore when you pray and ask for something and you feel that you believe with a sure faith that God will give it to you, then it will happen.

“I warn you, when you pray, if you remember someone that you hold something against, better forget it and forgive him, in the same way as our heavenly father God forgives you and wipes out your sins.

“If you don’t forgive him, then in the same way the heavenly father God will not forgive you or wipe out your sins.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

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Mark 11:27-33 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 11:20-25 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 11:20-25 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

The next morning Jesus and his disciples passed by that fig tree. And the tree that Jesus had cursed earlier became dead, dry, lifeless, even its roots dried up. The disciples saw this, very surprised. One of them named Peter said to Jesus:

— This tree which you cursed is now dried up, its branches are dried up.

Jesus said to the disciples:

— Believe in God! I tell you precisely: if a man filled with faith in God says to this mountain: “Get up and go into the sea”, it will be so: the mountain will rise, move and throw itself into the sea! If a man is filled with faith in God, if he has no doubts, no unbelief, then everything will be exactly like that. If a person doubts, does not believe, nothing will be fulfilled. When you pray to God in your heart about what you want, what you need, and you believe that God will give it to you, then it will come true. God will give you exactly what you have asked for. And when a person prays to God, but in his heart he has a grudge against other people, whom he does not forgive, then God will not forgive the sins of such a person. When a person prays, but in his heart he has a grudge against other people, it is necessary to forgive this grudge, then God will forgive the sins of such a person.

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

На следующее утро Иисус с учениками проходили мимо того дерева инжир. И вот то дерево, которое Иисус раньше проклял, стало мертвым, сухим, безжизненным, даже корни его высохли. Ученики это увидели, очень удивились. Один из них по имени Петр сказал Иисусу:

— Это дерево, которое ты проклял, теперь высохло, ветви его высохли.

Иисус сказал ученикам:

— Верьте в Бога! Точно вам говорю: если человек преисполненный верой в Бога скажет вот этой горе: «Вставай и уходи в море», так оно все и будет: гора поднимется, переместится и бросится в море! Если человек преисполнен верой в Бога, если нет у него сомнений, безверия, то в точности так все и будет. Если человек сомневается, не верит, то ничего не исполнится. Когда вы молитесь Богу в сердце о том, чего вы желаете, в чем нуждаетесь, и вы верите, что Бог даст вам это, тогда это и свершится. Бог даст вам в точности, что вы просили. И когда человек молиться Богу, а в сердце у него обида на других людей, которых он не прощает, то и Бог не простит грехов такому человеку. Когда человек молится, а в сердце у него обида на других людей, нужно обиду эту простить, тогда и Бог простит грехи такого человека.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 11:15-19 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 11:27-33 in Russian Sign Language >>

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (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 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. )