The Greek in Mark 16:15 that is translated as “the whole creation” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with allen Geschöpfen or “all created beings.”
preach
The Greek terms that are translated into English as “preach” or “proclaim” are regularly rendered into Aari as “speaking the word of salvation.” (Source: Loren Bliese)
Other languages (back-) translate it in the following manner:
- Mandarin Chinese: chuándào/傳道 or “hand down the Way [or: the Logos]”)
- Kekchí: “declare the word”
- Kpelle: “speak God’s word”
- Tzeltal: “he explains, they hear” (“the goal of all preachers”)
- Copainalá Zoque: “a preacher is ‘one who speaks-scatters'” (a figure based on the scattering of seed in the process of sowing) (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
- Shilluk: “declare the word of of God” (source: Nida 1964, p. 237)
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning:
- For Acts 9:20, 10:42: nakotnohora: “talk about” (“The generic term for preaching.”)
- For Acts 8:4, 8:5, 8:25: rodkiota-ralde’etnohora — “bring words, give news about.” (“This term is used when the preacher is moving from place to place to preach.”)
Source: Kathy Taber in Notes on Translation 1/1999, p. 9-16.
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.
creation
The Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “creation” in English is translated in Lisu as ꓟꓵ ꓚꓰꓼ ꓟꓲ ꓚꓰꓼ — my tshe mi tshe, verbatim translated as “place — make — earth — make.” This construction follows a traditional four-couplet construct in oral Lisu poetry that is usually in the form ABAC or ABCB. (Source: Arrington 2020, p. 58)
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies creating out of nothing. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Creation” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Mark 16:15 - 20 in Mexican Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 16:15-20 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 les dijo: “Vayanse y prediquen y expliquen por todo el mundo que las personas que creen y son bautizados serán salvados. Pero si personas no creen, serán perdidos y castigados fuertemente.
Todas las personas que creen pueden en nombre de Jesús expulsar demonios, y también Dios puede darlos idiomas diferentes.
También pueden agarrar viboras y si beben veneno no morirán, no les pasará nada.
Ellos pueden imponer manos a personas enfermas y sanarlas. Todas estas 5 cosas son para la gente testigos de la verdad.”
Cuando el Señor Jesús terminó explicando todo esto se subió y se piró al cielo, donde Dios está sentado, y Jesús se sentó al lado derecha de él.
Todos los discípulos y otras personas se fueron y predicaban y explicaban por todo el mundo y Jesús les ayudaba con milagros, para testificar a las personas que la predicación era la verdad.
Jesus said to them: “Go and preach and explain throughout the world that the people who believe and are baptized will be saved. But if people do not believe they will be lost and be punished severely.
All the people who believe can in the name of Jesus drive out demons, and God can also give them different languages.
They can also pick up snakes and if they drink poison they will not die, nothing will happen to them.
They can lay hands on sick people and heal them. All these five things are witnesses to the people of the truth.”
When the Lord Jesus finished explaining all this, he went up and away to heaven, where God is seated, and Jesus seated himself on his right side.
All the disciples and other people went and preached and explained throughout the world, and Jesus helped them with miracles, as a witness to the people that their preaching was the truth.
Mark 16:9-20 in Russian Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 16:9-20 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:
Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество
Jesus rose from the dead, early Sunday morning. There was a woman, Mary Magdalene. Previously, she had seven demons, these demons were cast out by Jesus in the past. And so, having risen, Jesus first went out to meet this Mary Magdalene. She was amazed and happy, and quickly ran to the place where Jesus’ disciples were. The disciples were crying there and were very worried that Jesus had died. She ran up to them and cried out:
— I saw, Jesus is alive!
But the disciples did not believe her, and continued to be sad. Some time passed. Two disciples were walking along the road through the field. And suddenly they met Jesus. His body and appearance were different. These two disciples were very happy and hurried to where the other disciples were, and said to them:
— We saw! Yes, Jesus is alive!
But the other disciples again did not believe, they said:
— This cannot be!
Some more time passed. The eleven disciples were sitting at the table. They were eating. Suddenly Jesus appeared and said to them reproachfully:
— Why don’t you believe?! Your hearts are stubborn! Those who saw me alive, already resurrected, told you about it. Why didn’t you believe!?
— I tell you:
— Go into all the world and tell about me. Tell everyone! If a person believes in me and is baptized, then he will be saved, he will have eternal life. And whoever does not believe me, terrible punishment awaits him in the end.
— And I also tell you:
— For those who believe in me, I will grant them many miracles. First, those who believe in me will be able to cast out demons from people in my name. Second, they will be able to speak different languages. Third, if a poisonous snake bites a believer, then nothing will happen to this person, he will be alive and well. Fourthly, if someone wants to poison a believer with poison, gives him a drink, then nothing will happen to the believer, he will be alive and well. Fifthly, if there are sick people, then a believer will be able to lay his hands on them and thus heal the sick.
Jesus said all this, the disciples listened to it all. And after the end, Jesus ascended to heaven and sat at the right of God, his Father. The disciples began to go everywhere and tell everyone about Jesus. The Lord helped them, and sent them many miracles. Many people, seeing miracles, believed. And so it spread everywhere.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Иисус воскрес из мертвых, ранним утром в воскресенье. Была одна женщина, Мария Магдалина. Раньше в ней были семь бесов, этих бесов в прошлом изгнал Иисус. И вот, воскреснув, Иисус сначала вышел навстречу этой Марии Магдалине. Она была поражена и обрадована, и скорее побежала в то место, где были ученики Иисуса. Ученики там плакали и сильно переживали, что Иисус умер. Она подбежала к ним и воскликнула:
— Я видела, Иисус живой!
Но ученики ей не поверили, и продолжали печалиться. Прошло какое-то время. Два ученика шли по дороге по полю. И вдруг они повстречали Иисуса. Тело его и внешний вид были другими. Эти два ученика очень обрадовались и поспешили туда, где были остальные ученики, и сказали им:
— Мы видели! Да, Иисус живой!
Но остальные ученики опять не поверили, сказали:
— Не может такого быть!
Прошло еще какое-то время. Одиннадцать учеников сидели за столом. Они ели. Вдруг появился Иисус и сказал им укоризненно:
— Что же вы не верите?! Сердца у вас упрямые! Те, кто видел меня живым, уже воскресшим, рассказали вам об этом. Почему же вы не поверили!?
Я говорю вам:
— Идите по всему миру и рассказывайте обо мне. Всем людям расскажите! Если человек поверит в меня и совершит крещение, то он будет спасён, у него будет жизнь вечная. А кто не поверит меня, того ждет в конце страшное наказание.
И еще говорю вам:
— Тех, кто поверит в меня, я одарю их многими чудесами. Во-первых, поверившие в Меня смогут изгонять бесов из людей моим именем. Во-вторых, они смогут разговаривать на разных языках. В-третьих, если ядовитая змея укусит верующего человека, то ничего не случится с этим человеком, он будет жив здоров. В-четвертых, если кто-то захочет отравить верующего человека ядом, даст выпить, то ничего с верующим не случится, он будет жив и здоров. В-пятых, если больные будут, то верующий человек сможет положить на них руки и так исцелить больного.
Иисус это все говорил, ученики это все слушали. И после завершения Иисус вознесся на небо и сел справа от Бога, своего Отца. Ученики стали ходить повсюду и рассказывать везде об Иисусе. Господь помогал им, и посылал им множество чудес. Многие люди, видя чудеса, уверовали. И так это распространялось повсюду.
Back-translation by Luka Manevich
complete verse (Mark 16:15)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 16:15:
- Uma: “He said to them: ‘Go to the whole world, spread the Good News to all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Then he said to them, ‘Go to all the places/countries in the world and proclaim the good news to all mankind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus said to them, he said, ‘Travel into all the world and tell the good news to every person created by God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Then he said to them, ‘Go into the entire world to go preach the good news to all people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “And then Jesus said to them, ‘Go over the whole world/land and teach the Good News to all people under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")
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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
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