Satan

The Greek that is typically transliterated in English as “Satan” is transliterated in Kipsigis as “Setani.” This is interesting because it is not only a transliteration that approximates the Greek sound but it is also an existing Kipsigis word with the meaning of “ugly” and “sneaking.” (Source: Earl Anderson in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 85ff. )

In Morelos Nahuatl it is translated as “envious one” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.) and in Tibetan: bdud (བདུད།), lit. “chief devil” (except in Rev. 20:2, where it is transliterated) (source: gSungrab website ).

See also devil.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Satan .

parable

The Greek that is usually translated as “parable” in English is translated in other languages in a number of ways:

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


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

Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as analogy because “the Greek word has the sense of tossing down something alongside something else. Hence an analogy.”

See also image and figures of speech.

Mark 3:20-30 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 3:20-30 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Peter’s house. This is where Jesus wanted to come with the disciples to eat. As they approached the house they saw a crowd of people. They did not get to eat in the house. Jesus’ mother, brothers and sisters also came there. They said that Jesus had gone crazy, so they decided to take Jesus home. Also the teachers of the Law from Jerusalem came to that place. They began to say to the people:

— Behold you marvel that Jesus casts demons out of people. But in fact the most important demon sits in him, and he gives orders to small demons, and they obey him.

Jesus heard this and turned to the teachers of the Law:

— I will tell you a parable. You say that one demon orders another demon to come out of a man. But is such a thing possible? The first example. There is a kingdom, and in it people fight with each other. Do you think such a kingdom can stand? No, this kingdom will collapse. The second example. If a husband and wife hate each other in a family, will such a family be strong? No, that family will fall apart. Third example. If demons cast each other out, then Satan’s kingdom would have been destroyed long ago. Do you think demons can cast each other out? No, they can’t!

If a very strong man lives in a certain house, and a burglar comes to the house. Would the robber be able to take things from that house? Of course not, because the strong master will drive the robber away. If only the robber succeeds in tying up the master, only then can he rob the house.

People are sinful, they do evil deeds, but God forgives their bad deeds. The spirit of God is in me, it works miracles, heals, casts out demons, but you slander that it is a demon — God will never forgive such lies.

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

Дом Петра. Сюда Иисус хотел прийти с учениками, чтобы поесть там. Когда они подходили к дому, они увидели толпу народа. Им не удалось поесть в доме. Также туда пришли мать, братья и сестры Иисуса. Они говорили, что Иисус сошел с ума, и они решили забрать Иисуса домой. Также в то место пришли учителя Закона из Иерусалима. Они начала говорить народу:

— Вот вы восхищаетесь, что Иисус изгоняет бесов из людей. А на самом деле в нем самый главный бес сидит, и он отдает приказы мелким бесам, и те его слушаются.

Иисус услышал это и обратился к учителям Закона:

— Я расскажу вам притчу. Вот вы говорите, что один бес приказывает другому выйти из человека. Но разве такое возможно? Первый пример. Царство, а в нем люди враждуют друг с другом. Как вы думаете, устоит такое царство? Нет, это царство разрушится. Второй пример. Если в семье муж и жена ненавидят друг друга, такая семья будет крепкой? Нет, эта семья распадется. Третий пример. Если бесы изгоняют друг друга, тогда бы царство Сатаны давно бы разрушилось. Как вы думаете, могут ли бесы друг друга изгонять? Нет, такого не бывает!

Если в некотором доме живет очень сильный человек, и пришел в этот дом грабитель. Разве грабитель сможет спокойно забирать себе вещи из этого дома? Конечно, нет, потому что сильный хозяин, прогонит грабителя. Если только грабителю удастся связать хозяина, только тогда он сможет ограбить дом.

Люди грешны, делают злые дела, но Бог прощает им плохие дела. Во мне дух Божий, он творит чудеса, дает исцеление, изгоняет бесов, а вы клевещете, что это бес — вот такой лжи Бог никогда не простит.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 3:13-19 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 3:31-35 in Russian Sign Language >>

Mark 3:20-35 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 3:20-35 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 juntos a una casa, y una multitud personas también fue a la casa y la entró y la casa estaba llena de personas y Jesús y sus discípulos no comían nada.

Personas chismearon y contaron la familia de Jesús: “Las multitudes van a él y Jesús no come nada.”

La familia (dijo): “Ay Jesús está loco, ahorita lo traigamos, vamonos”. Y fueron (por él).

En la misma casa había algunos maestros de la ley de Jerusalén que lo vieron y dijeron: “Jesús tiene adentro de él el rey de los demonios, que se llama Beelzebú. Jesús y él tienen una conspiración y el demonio ayuda a Jesús, así que puede expulsar demonios.”

Jesús dijo: “¿El demonio me ayuda? Es absurdo. Les doy un ejemplo: Si yo soy un demonio y quiero expulsar a un demonio, ¿lo puedo? No puedo, es imposible, yo también soy demonio.

Por ejemplo, primero: Si diferentes gobiernos se pelean ellos fracasarán.

Segundo: Si en una familia ellos se pelean, se separarán.

Tercero: Si dos demonios se pelean no ganan nada, los dos se eliminarán.

Otro ejemplo: Una persona entra en una casa y toma cosas, y un hombre fuerte y poderoso lo ve. Le tiene miedo (al hombre fuerte) porque lo vio.

Primero debe agarrarlo (al hombre fuerte) y atarlo hasta que esté impotente en el piso y esto hecho puede libremente recoger las cosas.

Este ejemplo del (hombre) fuerte y poderoso es como el rey de los demonios, ¿entienden?

Les advierto y digo la verdad; si una persona hace pecados diferentes y es irrespetuoso contra Dios y después pide perdón, Dios lo perdonará y borrará sus pecados.

Pero hay una excepción: Si uds insultan contra el espíritu santo y lo apodan demonio, huy, no serán perdonados jamás, habrá un castigo fuerte para siempre.”

Allá vino la familia de Jesús y tocaban alguién: “Por favor, que Jesús venga” y el hombre dijo a Jesús: “Tu mamá y tus hermanos te llaman, por allá.”

Jesús miró a sus familiares y a la multitud, a todas las personas que estaban sentadas alrededor, y Jesús dijo: “Les pregunto: ¿Quiénes son mi mamá y mis hermanos?

Uds mismos son mi familia, porque uds obedecen sólo a Dios, por eso uds son mi mamá y mis hermanos.”


Jesus and the disciples went together to a house and a multitude of people also went to the house and entered it and the house was full of people, and Jesus and his disciples did not eat anything.

Some people gossiped and told Jesus’ family: “The multitudes go to him and Jesus does not eat anything.”

The family (said): “Ah, Jesus has gone mad, we will bring him back now, let’s go.” And they went (for him).

In the same house there were some teachers of the law from Jerusalem, and they watched him and said: “Jesus has inside him the king of demons, which is called Beelzebub. Jesus and he are conspiring together and the demon is helping Jesus so that he can throw out demons.”

Jesus said: “So the demon is helping me? That’s absurd. Let me give you an example: If I am a demon and I want to throw out a demon, can I? No I cannot, it’s impossible, I am a demon myself.

“For example, firstly: If different governments fight with each other they will all go down.

“Secondly: If the people in a family fight together they will be separated.

“Thirdly: If two demons fight together, they do not gain anything, both will be eliminated.

“Another example: A person enters a house and takes things away and a strong, powerful man sees him, he gets frightened because he’s been seen.

“First he has to take hold (of the strong man) tie him up so that he lies wriggling on the floor and when that is done he can freely collect the things.

“This example of the strong and powerful (man) is like the king of demons, do you understand?

“I warn you, and I say the truth; if a person does different sins and is disrespectful towards God and afterwards asks forgiveness, God will forgive him and delete his sins.

“But there is one exception: If you insult the Holy Spirit and nickname him a demon, wow, you will never be forgiven, there will be a strong punishment forever.”

Over there the family of Jesus came and they touched someone: “Please, let Jesus come” and the man went and told Jesus: “Your mother and brothers call you, over there.”

Jesus looked at his family and at the multitude, at all the people seated around him, and Jesus said: “I ask you, who are my mother and my brothers?

“You yourselves are my family, because you obey only God, that’s why you are my mother and my brothers.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 3:13-19 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 4:1-9 in Mexican Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 3:23:

  • Uma: “That is why Yesus called them to come close to them, and he spoke to them with a few parables, he said: ‘How can demons expel their fellow demons?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa called those people and he spoke-in-parables to them. He said, ‘Na, how can a demon cast out a demon? It is as if he casts himself out. It is not possible.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus told the people to come near, and there were parables which he taught them. He said, ‘It cannot be that Satan will drive away his companion demons.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That being so, Jesus called them and said parabling, ‘How can Satan cause-himself -to-leave?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Jesus observed that, he caused the people to come close, for he spoke a few illustrations. He said, ‘How does Satanas drive out the evil spirits he rules over, which is like he is opposing his own self?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God (“speak”)

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 rare (られ) 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, kata-rare-ru (語られる) or “speak” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Mark 3:23

Exegesis:

proskalesamenos (cf. 3.13) ‘calling,’ ‘summoning,’ ‘calling to oneself.’

en parabolais ‘in parables,’ ‘by means of parables,’ ‘in figurative language’: the phrase indicates the manner in which he spoke to them.

parabolē ‘parable,’ ‘figure,’ ‘comparison,’ ‘analogy,’ ‘illustration’: in the Septuagint parabolē translates mashal which covers a whole range of figurative language: ‘parables,’ ‘proverbs,’ ‘figures’ and even ‘riddles.’ The word appears 13 times in Mark: 3.23; 4.2, 10, 11, 13 (twice), 30, 33, 34; 7.17; 12.1, 12; 13.28. As a technical Christian term designating (in the Synoptics) Jesus’ customary form of teaching, parable serves as a translation in all these passages with the exception of two: 7.17, where “figure” (Goodspeed) or even “lesson” (Berkeley) better fits the context, and 13.28 where “illustration” or “lesson” (Revised Standard Version, The Modern Speech New Testament, Goodspeed) is meant.

satanas (cf. 1.13) ‘Satan,’ the ruler of the demons. The meaning is not that of one satan driving out another, but of Satan driving out himself. That is what Satan would be doing were he to drive out the demons who compose his empire (cf. Lagrange).

Translation:

Them is of uncertain reference in this passage, but taken literally in many languages it would mean only the scribes, the closest third person plural referent, other than the demons. Probably, however, one should make the reference more explicit by substituting ‘the people.’

In some languages there are quite good equivalents of parable, since such forms of expression are common. However, in other cases one must develop some type of expression which conveys the meaning implied by parable, without being too elaborate and detailed a definition. Such descriptive terms are of two types: (1) those which emphasize the nature of the parable as a comparison or illustration and (2) those which specify its use in teaching and instruction. The first type may be illustrated by ‘picture with words’ (Piro), ‘message in the manner of a comparison’ (Pamona), ‘comparison word’ (Highland Totonac, South Bolivian Quechua), ‘picture story’ (Tzeltal), ‘likeness word’ (Yucateco, Central Tarahumara), and ‘story which says like that’ (Cashibo-Cacataibo). The second type may be found in ‘story told for teaching’ (Chicahuaxtla Triqui, Goajiro), ‘story from which understanding comes’ (Navajo), ‘notice from which comes teaching’ (Conob).

In a number of languages a literal translation of Satan cast out Satan will imply that there are at least two Satans. In such a language one should translate ‘How can Satan cast himself out’ (Tzeltal, Huastec).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 3:23

3:23a

So: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as So is a simple connector. It is often translated as “and” (as in the Revised Standard Version). This word connects 3:22 to 3:23–39. It introduces what Jesus said and did in response to what his enemies accused him of doing.

The Berean Standard Bible shows this connection with the word So. Some English versions do not translate this word. You should connect these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

Jesus called them together: Jesus told the people to come nearer before he confronted them. The Contemporary English Version says:

Jesus told the people to gather around him.

them: The pronoun them refers to both the teachers of the law and the crowd.

3:23b

speak to them in parables: The phrase speak to them in parables describes what Jesus said to the people in 3:23–27. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as parables is used to describe different types of wise speech like proverbs, illustrations, and metaphors.

In this context there are two different parables: 3:23c–26c and 3:27. You will need to read these two parables carefully. Then consider how you would describe this type of speech in your language. See parable, Type 2, in the Glossary.

3:23c–26c

Jesus’ first parable is in 3:23c–26c. In this parable, Jesus proved that what the teachers of the law were saying could not be right. If Satan controlled Jesus, he would not want to send his own helpers away. If he did, then Satan would be fighting against himself.

3:23c

How can Satan drive out Satan?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus asked this question to rebuke the Jewish religious leaders. He did this by emphasizing a fact that everyone should know is true: Surely, Satan would not do something against himself. There are at least two ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

How can Satan be the one who forces his own evil spirits to leave?
-or-
Will Satan force his own demons out of people? Of course not!

• As a statement. For example:

Surely, Satan will not want to force his own evil spirits to leave.
-or-
Satan does not work against himself by forcing/causing his own demons to come out of people.
-or-
Satan will not force himself out of people. (New Century Version)

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize a fact that is obviously true and that expresses a rebuke.

Satan drive out Satan: Here, the word Satan occurs two times. The first Satan refers to Satan himself. The second Satan represents the demons over which Satan rules.

In some languages, it may be clearer to translate the second Satan as “his demons.” For example:

Why would Satan force out his own demons?

Satan: The word Satan is the Hebrew name of the chief or leader of all the evil spirits. In Hebrew his name means “enemy.” He is the enemy of God and God’s people. Here are some ways to translate Satan:

• Use a local name or idiom that refers to the chief of all demons.

• Use a descriptive phrase such as:

the chief/leader of the evil spirits
-or-
the spirit enemy of God

• Transliterate the name Satan. If this word is not already known in your area, you may also want to add a descriptive phrase. For example:

Satanas, the ruler of demons
-or-
Shaitan

If you transliterate Satan or borrow a word from another language, be sure that it communicates the biblical meaning to people in your culture. It is important to check this in each biblical context.

Try to use a term that will be acceptable to churches in the area. It is suggested that you also add a footnote or glossary entry that further explains who Satan is. For example:

Satan is the leader of all the evil spirits or demons. Once he was an angel in heaven, but he rebelled against God. God expelled him from heaven, and now he tempts people on earth. Here are other names for Satan that are used in the Bible: “Beelzebul,” “the Devil,” “the Evil One,” “the Enemy,” and “the Tempter.”

See how you translated this word in 1:13a.

drive out: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drive out is literally “cast/throw out.” It refers to causing evil spirits to stop controlling someone. See the notes on 3:15 and 3:22d, where the same term is used.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.