The Greek that is translated as “overhearing what they said” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with tat so als hätte er es nicht gehört or “pretended not to have heard it.”
Raising a Girl (image)
Copyright by the Catholic University Peking, China
Text under painting translated from Literary Chinese into English:
Raising a Girl
Proof that Jesus is the true God
Image taken from Chinese Christian Posters . For more information on the “Ars Sacra Pekinensis” school of art, see this article , for other artworks of that school in TIPs, see here.
fear / afraid
The Greek that is translated as “to fear” or “to be afraid” or similar in English is translated in Ashe as agõõi iwei or “hearing fear.” (Source: David Rowbory)
See also very afraid and fear of the LORD (Isa 11:2).
Mark 5:21-43 in Russian Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 5:21-43 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:
Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество
Jesus got into the boat and they sailed back. When they arrived, Jesus got out of the boat. There were a lot of people crowded together. One man named Jairus was in charge. He kept order in the synagogue — it was a house of prayer for the Jews who gathered there on the Sabbath. Jairus came to Jesus, knelt down and begged him, My daughter is dying. She is only twelve years old. Please come and touch my daughter with your hand and she will not die, she will be saved.
Jesus said: Let’s go.
And the two of them went. They went. There was a crowd of people around. In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. And they couldn’t cure her. She had gone to many doctors, spent a lot of money on treatment, but she was getting worse.
She thought: If I go to Jesus and just touch his clothes, I will be well.
She thought so and went. And there were a lot of people there. She made her way through the crowd and finally came close to Jesus. Jesus had on a long robe.
The woman thought, I just want to touch the edge of the robe!
She reached out and touched and realized that her bleeding stopped immediately. And she backed up. Jesus stopped. He felt his power had gone somewhere. He looked at the crowd and asked: Who touched my robe?
The disciples were puzzled and began to say to Jesus, Look how many people are here! And you ask who touched your clothes!
The woman was afraid. But then she decided to come out of the crowd. She knelt before Jesus and said: I have suffered from bleeding for twelve years, so I have come to touch your garment to get well.
Jesus said to her: O woman! Your faith that you dared to touch my garment, it has saved you. God is with you! Be at ease, your torment is over.
Then the men of Jairus’ house came and said, Your daughter is already dead. So you don’t need to bring Jesus to the house. Jairus was very upset.
Jesus heard and said to Jairus, Don’t be sad, keep on believing.
He told the crowd to disperse. Jesus took Jairus and the three disciples with him — Peter, John, and James. Jesus said: Come with me to Jairus’ house.
They went into Jairus’ house. There was a multitude of people there crying and shouting, The girl is dead!
Jesus came and said, There is no reason for you to cry! The girl is not dead, she is sleeping.
The people began to say to Jesus: Why are you mocking us? She is not sleeping, she is dead!
And they kept crying. Jesus told everyone to move out of the way, taking only the girl’s father and mother and his disciples with him, and they went into the room where the girl was lying. Jesus entered the room, looked at the twelve-year-old girl, took her by the hand and said: Girl, I command you — get up!
The girl immediately opened her eyes, stood up. The parents and the three disciples were amazed to see that she was alive. Jesus said, You don’t have to tell everyone that the girl came back to life after death. And feed the girl!
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Иисус сел в лодку, и они поплыли обратно. Когда они приплыли, Иисус вышел из лодки. Столпилось множество народа. Один человек по имени Иаир был начальником. Он следил за порядком в синагоге — это дом молитвы для евреев, которые собирались там по субботам. Иаир подошел к Иисусу, встал на колени и стал молить Его: Моя дочь при смерти. Ей всего двенадцать лет. Пожалуйста, приди, коснись рукой моей дочери, и она не умрет, будет спасена.
Иисус сказал: Пойдем.
И они пошли вдвоем. Они пошли. Вокруг была толпа народа. В толпе была одна женщина, которая уже двенадцать лет болела кровотечением. И никак не могли ее вылечить. Она ходила по многим врачам, истратила на лечение много-много денег, но ей становилось только хуже.
Она подумала так: Если я подойду к Иисусу и хотя бы только прикоснусь к Его одежде, то я буду здорова.
Она так подумала и пошла. А там было очень много народа. Она пробиралась сквозь толпу, наконец, приблизилась к Иисусу. У Иисуса была длинная одежда.
Женщина подумала: Мне бы только края одежды коснуться!
Она протянула руку и дотронулась и поняла, что у нее кровотечение остановилось тут же. И она попятилась назад. Иисус остановился. Он почувствовал, что его сила куда-то ушла. Он посмотрел на толпу и спросил: Кто прикоснулся к моей одежде?
Ученики в недоумении стали говорить Иисусу: Посмотри, сколько здесь народу! И ты спрашиваешь, кто дотронулся до твоей одежды?!
Женщина боялась. Но потом все-таки решилась выйти из толпы. Она встала на колени перед Иисусом и сказала: Я в течение двенадцати лет страдаю от кровотечений, поэтому я пришла, чтобы дотронуться до твоей одежды, чтобы выздороветь.
Иисус сказал ей: О женщина! Твоя вера, что ты решилась дотронуться до моей одежды, она спасла тебя. Бог с тобою! Будь спокойна, твои мучения закончились.
Тут пришли люди из дома Иаира и говорят: Твоя дочь уже умерла. Поэтому ненужно уже приводить в дом Иисуса. Иаир очень расстроился.
Иисус, услышав, сказал Иаиру: Не печалься! Продолжай верить!
Он велел толпе расступиться. Иисус взял с собой Иаира и трех учеников — Петр, Иоанн, Иаков. Иисус сказал: Пойдем со мной в дом Иаира.
Они вошли в дом Иаира. Там было множество народа, которые плакали и кричали: Девочка умерла!
Иисус подошел и сказал: Нет причины вам плакать! Девочка не умерла, она спит.
Люди стали говорить Иисусу: Ты что же издеваешься над нами? Она не спит, она умерла!
И они продолжали плакать. Иисус велел всем отойти в сторону, взял с собой только отца и мать девочки и своих учеников, и они пошли в комнату, где лежала девочка. Иисус вошел в комнату, посмотрел на двенадцатилетнюю девочку, взял ее за руку и сказал: Девочка, я повелеваю тебе — вставай!
Девочка тут же открыла глаза, встала. Родители и три ученика изумились, видя, что она жива. Иисус сказал: Не нужно всем рассказывать, что девочка ожила после смерти. И покормите девочку!
Back-translation by Luka Manevich
<< Mark 5:1-20 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 6:1-6 in Russian Sign Language >>
Mark 5:21-43 in Mexican Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 5:21-43 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)
El barco iba y cuando llegó Jesús y los discípulos salieron del barco y muchas personas venían, una multitud se atestaba.
Un hombre, (llamado) Jairo, un líder del templo, vio a Jesús y caminó hacia él entre la multitud y se arrodilló.
Dijo: “Jesús, mi hija de doce años de edad está por morir, pon las manos sobre ella y la vida de mi hija será salvo, ¡por favor ven!”
Jesús acordó y Jairo se paró, y muchas personas, una gran multitud, fueron con ellos.
Dentro (de la multitud), por detrás una mujer desconocida que tenía una enfermedad de menstruación, perdiendo sangre, vio a Jesús y caminó hacia él, haciendo un paso por la multitud.
La mujer agarró la ropa de Jesús y alivió, estaba sana.
Jesús sentía que curación había salido de él y miraba alrededor: “¿Quién tocó mi ropa?”
Los discípulos (pensaron que era) absurdo y dijeron: “Tú sabes que hay muchas personas atestandose, ¿cómo (sabes) que uno te toca?”
Jesús miraba alrededor de él y la mujer lo vio: caray, y miedosa con las rodillas temblando se acercó a él y se arrodilló, y dijo: “yo agarré tu ropa, porque antes estaba sangrando de mi regla por doce años.
He ido a diferentes doctores, pero ellos (dijeron): “Perdón, no sabemos”, he gastado todo mi dinero, pero sufría peor y peor del sangrado de menstruación.
Después vi todas las personas que me lo decían y yo lo creía que tú, Jesús, puedes sanar, y yo tan sólo agarré tu ropa y estoy sana, por eso.”
Jesús la miraba y sentía cariño (y dijo): “Tu fe ya te sanó, ahora ya no sigues enferma, basta, vete tranquilamente.”
Por allá venía un grupo de gente, y dijeron a Jairo: “Dile a Jesús que ya no lo molestes, dejalo, porque tu hija ya ha muerto.”
Jesús lo oyó y se volteó a verlo y le dijo: “Jairo, no te desesperes, ten fe, un momentito: ¡vengan Pedro, Jacobo y Juan, vengan!”
El grupo fue a la casa y Jesús miraba alrededor de él y vio a las personas desesperadas, llorando y gritando. Jesus dijo: “¿Porqué gritan y lloran? La niña no está muerta, sólo está dormida.”
Las personas (pensaban que era) absurdo, y ahora se reían. Jesús miraba alrededor de él (y dijo que) todos se fueran, y la multitud se alejaba.
Jesús llamó Jairo, su esposa y los tres discípulos y el grupo entró el cuarto.
Jesús miró a la niña prostrada en la cama y caminó hacia ella, le agarró de la mano y dijo: “Talita cum”, que significa: “Te dijo, niña que te levantes.” La niña abrió los ojos y se levantó y caminaba.
Los padres y los discípulos estaban asombrados y asustados, Jesús les advirtió: “Todas las personas no saben (lo que pasó) y uds. no les cuenten, guarden silencio, es un secreto.”
Dijo: “Ahora dale comida a tu hija.”
The boat sailed and when it arrived Jesus and the disciples got out and many people came, a great crowd thronged them.
A man (named) Jairus, a leader of the temple, saw Jesus and walked up to him through the crowd and knelt down.
He said: “Jesus, my daughter who is twelve years old is dying, lay your hands on her and her life will be saved, please come!”
Jesus agreed and Jairus got up and many people, a great crowd, went with them.
From within (the crowd), from behind a strange woman who had an menstruation illness so that she was bleeding, saw Jesus and walked up to him, making a way through the crowd.
The woman took hold of Jesus’ clothes and she was relieved, healed.
Jesus felt that healing had gone out of him and he looked around: “Who touched my clothes?”
The disciples (thought it) absurd and said: “You know that many people are crowding around, how (do you know) that one touched you?”
Jesus kept looking around and the woman saw it: Ay, and with shaky knees, faint hearted, she approached him and knelt down and said: “I took hold of your clothes, because I have had menstruation bleeding for twelve years.
“I have been to various doctors, but they (said): ‘Sorry, we don’t know,’ I have spent all my money, but I suffered worse and worse from the menstruation bleeding.
“Afterwards I saw all these people and they told me, and I believed it, that you Jesus can heal, and I merely took hold of your clothes, and I was healed, that’s why.”
Jesus looked at her and felt affection (and said): “Your faith has healed you, now you will no longer be sick, it’s enough, go peacefully.”
Over there came a group of people and they told Jairus: “Tell Jesus that you will not bother him anymore, leave it, because you your daughter has died.”
Jesus heard him and turned around to look at him and said: “Jairus, don’t despair, have faith, just a moment: Come Peter, James and John, come here!”
The group went to the house and Jesus looked around and saw the people in despair, crying and wailing. Jesus said: “Why are you wailing and crying? The girl is not dead, she is just asleep.”
The people (thought it was) ridiculous, and now they were laughing. Jesus looked around (and told) them all to go away, and the whole crowd went away.
Jesus beckoned Jairus, his wife and the three disciples and the group entered the room.
Jesus looked at the girl lying on the bed and walked over to her, took her by the hand and said: “Talita cum”, which means: “I tell you, girl, to get up.” The girl opened her eyes, got up and walked around.
The parents and the disciples were amazed and shocked and Jesus warned them: “All the people don’t know (what has happened) and don’t tell them, keep silent, it’s a secret.”
He said: “Now give your daughter something to eat.”
Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
<< Mark 5:6-20 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 6:1-6 in Mexican Sign Language >>
complete verse (Mark 5:36)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 5:36:
- Uma: “Yesus heard what the messengers said. He said to Yairus: ‘Don’t be discouraged [lit., don’t let your (sing.) heart be lessened]! Believe [emphatic]!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But Isa did not pay any attention to what they said. He said to Jairus, ‘Do not be afraid. Simply trust.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But Jesus paid no attention to what those people said, rather, he said to Jairus, he said, ‘Don’t grieve, but just trust me.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But Jesus didn’t pay-any-attention to what they said to Jairus but-rather he said to him, ‘Don’t you (sing.) be afraid. Just believe.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “That which they had said wasn’t hidden from Jesus. He said to that overseer, ‘Don’t be grieved. Just believe and trust in me.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
believe, faith
Translations of the Greek pistis and its various forms that are typically translated as “faith” in English (itself deriving from Latin “fides,” meaning “trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credence”) and “believe” (from Old English belyfan: “to have faith or confidence in a person”) cover a wide range of approaches.
Bratcher and Nida say this (1961, p. 38) (click or tap here to read more):
“Since belief or faith is so essentially an intimate psychological experience, it is not strange that so many terms denoting faith should be highly figurative and represent an almost unlimited range of emotional ‘centers’ and descriptions of relationships, e.g. ‘steadfast his heart’ (Chol), ‘to arrive on the inside’ (Chicahuaxtla Triqui), ‘to conform with the heart’ (Uab Meto), ‘to join the word to the body’ (Uduk), ‘to hear in the insides’ (or ‘to hear within one’s self and not let go’ – Nida 1952) (Laka), ‘to make the mind big for something’ (Sapo), ‘to make the heart straight about’ (Mitla Zapotec), ‘to cause a word to enter the insides’ (Lacandon), ‘to leave one’s heart with’ (Baniwa), ‘to catch in the mind’ (Ngäbere), ‘that which one leans on’ (Vai), ‘to be strong on’ (Shipibo-Conibo), ‘to have no doubts’ (San Blas Kuna), ‘to hear and take into the insides’ (Kare), ‘to accept’ (Pamona).”
Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap here to read more):
- Western Kanjobal: “truth entering into one’s soul”
- Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “following close after”
- Huichol: “conform to the truth”
- Loma: “lay one’s hand on it”
- Mashco Piro: “obey-believe”
- Mossi: “leaning on God” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1952, p. 119ff.)
- Tzeltal: “heart believe / heart obedience” (source: Marianna C. Slocum in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 49f. — see also wisdom (Proverbs))
- Thai: “place one’s heart in” (source: Bratcher / Hatton 2000, p. 37)
- Cameroon Pidgin: “to put one’s heart in God” (source: Jan Sterk)
- Kafa: “decide for God only” (source Loren Bliese)
- Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
- Muna: kataino lalo or “stickiness of heart” (for “faithfulness”) (source: René van den Berg)
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “confidence” (source: Larson 1998, p. 279)
- Limos Kalinga: manuttuwa. Wiens (2013) explains: “It goes back to the word for ‘truth’ which is ‘tuttuwa.’ When used as a verb this term is commonly used to mean ‘believe’ as well as ‘obey.'”
- Ngiemboon: “turn one’s back on someone” (and trusting one won’t be taken advantage of) (source: Stephen Anderson in Holzhausen 1991, p. 42)
- Mwera uses the same word for “hope” and “faith”: ngulupai (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Kwang: “put one’s chest” (Source: Mark Vanderkooi right here )
- Yala: ɔtū che or “place heart” (in John 5:24; 5:45; 6:35; 6:47; 12:36; 14:1); other translations include chɛ̄ or “to agree/accept” and chɛ̄ku or “to agree with/accept with/take side with” (source: Linus Otronyi)
- Matumbi: niu’bi’lyali or “believe / trust / rely (on)” and imani or “religious faith” (from Arabic īmān [إيما]) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
-
Barí: a word related to standing in a hammock. Bruce Olson (1972, p. 159f.) tells this story — click or tap here to read more)
One evening, though, Bobby began to ask questions. We were sitting around a fire. The light flickered over him. His face was serious.
‘How can I walk on Jesus’ trail?’ he asked. ‘No Motilone [speakers of Barí] has ever done it. It’s a new thing. There is no other Motilone to tell how to do it.’
I remembered the problems I had had as a boy, how it sometimes appeared impossible to keep on believing in Jesus when my family and friends were so opposed to my commitment. That was what Bobby was going through.
‘Bobby,’ I said, ‘do you remember my first Festival of the Arrows, the first time I had seen all the Motilones gathered to sing their song?’ The festival was the most important ceremony in the Motilone culture.
He nodded. The fire flared up momentarily and I could see his eyes, staring intently at me.
‘Do you remember that I was afraid to climb in the high hammocks to sing, for fear that the rope would break? And I told you that I would sing only if I could have one foot in the hammock and one foot on the ground?’
‘Yes, Bruchko.’
‘And what did you say to me?’
He laughed. ‘I told you you had to have both feet in the hammock. ‘You have to be suspended,’ I said.’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘You have to be suspended. That is how it is when you follow Jesus, Bobby. No man can tell you how to walk His trail. Only Jesus can. But to find out you have to tie your hammock strings into Him, and be suspended in God.’
Bobby said nothing. The fire danced in his eyes. Then he stood up and walked off into the darkness.
The next day he came to me. ‘Bruchko,’ he said, ‘I want to tie my hammock strings into Jesus Christ. But how can I? I can’t see Him or touch Him.’
‘You have talked to spirits, haven’t you?’
‘Oh,’ he said. ‘I see now.’
The next day he had a big grin on his face. ‘Bruchko, I’ve tied my hammock strings into Jesus. Now I speak a new language.’
I didn’t understand what he meant. ‘Have you learned some of the Spanish I speak?’
He laughed, a clean, sweet laugh. ‘No, Bruchko, I speak a new language.’
Then I understood. To a Motilone, language is life. If Bobby had a new life, he had a new way of speaking. His speech would be Christ-oriented.
-
Awabakal: ngurruliko: “to know, to perceive by the ear” (as distinct from knowing by sight or by touch — source: Lake, p. 70) (click or tap here to read more)
“[The missionary translator] Lancelot Threlkeld learned that Awabakal, like many Australian languages, made no distinction between knowing and believing. Of course the distinction only needs to be made where there are rival systems of knowing. The Awabakal language expressed a seamless world. But as the stress on ‘belief’ itself suggests, Christianity has always existed in pluralist settings. Conversion involves deep conviction, not just intellectual assent or understanding. (…) Translating such texts posed a great challenge in Australia. Threlkeld and [his indigenous colleague] Biraban debated the possibilities at length. In the end they opted not to introduce a new term for belief, but to use the Awabakal ngurruliko, meaning ‘to know, to perceive by the ear,’ as distinct from knowing by sight or by touch.”
-
Language in southern Nigeria: a word based on the idiom “lose feathers.” Randy Groff in Wycliffe Bible Translators 2016, p. 65 explains (click or tap here to read more):
What does losing feathers have to do with faith? [The translator] explained that there is a species of bird in his area that, upon hatching its eggs, loses its feathers. During this molting phase, the mother bird is no longer able to fly away from the nest and look for food for her hungry hatchlings. She has to remain in the nest where she and her babies are completely dependent upon the male bird to bring them food. Without the diligent, dependable work of the male bird, the mother and babies would all die. This scenario was the basis for the word for faith in his language. - Teribe: mär: “pick one thing and one thing only” (source: Andy Keener)
-
- Tiv: na jighjigh: “give trust” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
Luba-Katanga: Twi tabilo: “echo” (click or tap here to read more)
“Luba-Katanga word for ‘Faith’ in its New Testament connotation is Twi tabilo. This word means ‘echo,’ and the way in which it came to be adapted to the New Testament meaning gives a very good idea of the way in which the translator goes to work. One day a missionary was on a journey through wild and mountainous country. At midday he called his African porters to halt, and as they lay resting in the shade from the merciless heat of the sun. an African picked up a stone and sent it ricocheting down the mountain-side into the ravine below. After some seconds the hollow silence was broken by a plunging, splashing sound from the depths of the dark river-bed. As the echo died away the African said in a wondering whisper ‘Twi tabilo, listen to it.’ So was a precious word captured for the service of the Gospel in its Luba Christian form. Twi tabilo — ‘faith which is the echo of God’s voice in the depths of human sinful hearts, awakened by God Himself, the answer to his own importunate call.’ The faith that is called into being by the divine initiative, God’s own gift to the responsive heart! (Source: Wilfred Bradnock in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 49ff. )
J.A. van Roy (in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. ) discusses how a translation of “faith” in a an earlier translation into Venda created difficult perceptions of the concept of faith (click or tap here):
The Venda term u tenda, lutendo. This term corresponds to the terms ho dumela (Southern Sotho), and ku pfumela (Tsonga) that have been used in these translations of the Bible, and means “to assent,” “to agree to a suggestion.” It is important to understand this term in the context of the character of the people who use it.
The way in which the Venda use this term reveals much about the priority of interpersonal relationships among them. They place a much higher priority on responding in the way they think they are expected to respond than on telling the truth. Smooth interpersonal relationships, especially with a dominant individual or group, take precedence over everything else.
It is therefore regarded as bad form to refuse directly when asked for something one does not in fact intend to give. The correct way is to agree, u tenda, and then forget about it or find some excuse for not keeping to the agreement. Thus u tenda does not necessarily convey the information that one means what one says. One can tenda verbally while heartily disagreeing with the statement made or having no intention whatsoever to carry out what one has just promised to do. This is not regarded as dishonesty, but is a matter of politeness.
The term u sokou tenda, “to consent reluctantly,” is often used for expressing the fatalistic attitude of the Venda in the face of misfortune or force which he is unable to resist.
The form lutendo was introduced by missionaries to express “faith.”
According to the rules of derivations and their meanings in the lu-class, it should mean “the habit of readily consenting to everything.” But since it is a coined word which does not have a clearly defined set of meanings in everyday speech, it has acquired in church language a meaning of “steadfastness in the Christian life.” Una lutendo means something like “he is steadfast in the face of persecution.” It is quite clear that the term u tenda has no element of “trust” in it. (…)
In “The Christian Minister” of July 1969 we find the following statement about faith by Albert N. Martin: “We must never forget that one of the great issues which the Reformers brought into focus was that faith was something more than an ‘assensus,’ a mere nodding of the head to the body of truth presented by the church as ‘the faith.’ The Reformers set forth the biblical concept that faith was ‘fiducia.’ They made plain that saving faith involved trust, commitment, a trust and commitment involving the whole man with the truth which was believed and with the Christ who was the focus of that truth. The time has come when we need to spell this out clearly in categorical statements so that people will realize that a mere nodding of assent to the doctrines that they are exposed to is not the essence of saving faith. They need to be brought to the understanding that saving faith involves the commitment of the whole man to the whole Christ, as Prophet, Priest and King as he is set forth in the gospel.”
We quote at length from this article because what Martin says of the current concept of faith in the Church is even to a greater extent true of the Venda Church, and because the terms used for communicating that concept in the Venda Bible cannot be expected to communicate anything more than “a mere nodding of assent”. I have during many years of evangelistic work hardly ever come across a Venda who, when confronted with the gospel, would not say, Ndi khou tenda, “I admit the truth of what you say.” What they really mean when saying this amounts to, “I believe that God exists, and I have no objection to the fact that he exists. I suppose that the rest of what you are talking about is also true.” They would often add, Ndi sa tendi hani-hani? “Just imagine my not believing such an obvious fact!” To the experienced evangelist this is a clear indication that his message is rejected in so far as it has been understood at all! To get a negative answer, one would have to press on for a promise that the “convert” will attend the baptism class and come to church on Sundays, and even then he will most probably just tenda in order to get rid of the evangelist, whether he intends to come or not. Isn’t that what u tenda means? So when an inexperienced and gullible white man ventures out on an evangelistic campaign with great enthusiasm, and with great rejoicing returns with a list of hundreds of names of persons who “believed”, he should not afterwards blame the Venda when only one tenth of those who were supposed to be converts actually turn up for baptismal instruction.
Moreover, it is not surprising at all that one often comes across church members of many years’ standing who do not have any assurance of their salvation or even realise that it is possible to have that assurance. They are vhatendi, “consenters.” They have consented to a new way of life, to abandoning (some of) the old customs. Lutendo means to them at most some steadfastness in that new way of life.
The concept of faith in religion is strange to Africa. It is an essential part of a religion of revelation such as Christianity or Islam, but not of a naturalistic religion such as Venda religion, in which not faith and belief are important, but ritual, and not so much the content of the word as the power of it.
The terms employed in the Venda Bible for this vital Christian concept have done nothing to effect a change in the approach of the Venda to religion.
It is a pity that not only in the Venda translation has this been the case, but in all the other Southern Bantu languages. In the Nguni languages the term ukukholwa, “to believe a fact,” has been used for pisteuo, and ukholo, the deverbative of ukukholwa, for pistis. In some of the older Protestant translations in Zulu, but not in the new translation, the term ithemba, “trust”, has been used.
Some languages, including Santali, have two terms — like English (see above) — to differentiate a noun from a verb form. Biswạs is used for “faith,” whereas pạtiạu for “believe.” R.M. Macphail (in The Bible Translator 1961, p. 36ff. ) explains this choice: “While there is little difference between the meaning and use of the two in everyday Santali, in which any word may be used as a verb, we felt that in this way we enriched the translation while making a useful distinction, roughly corresponding to that between ‘faith’ and ‘to believe’ in English.”
Likewise, in Noongar, koort-karni or “heart truth” is used for the noun (“faith”) and djinang-karni or “see true” for the verb (“believe”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
See also this devotion on YouVersion .
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Faith (Word Study) .
Jesus
The Greek Iēsous is “only” a proper name but one with great importance. The following quote by John Ellington (in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 401ff. ) illustrates this:
“In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told that when Mary gives birth to a son ‘you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’ (1:21). This name is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name [Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) which is a short form of a name meaning] ‘the Lord [Yahweh] saves.’ The name is very significant and is in itself especially dear to Christians around the world. (…) Unquestionably great importance is attached to the name of Jesus by Christians of all persuasions and backgrounds.”
While Iēsous (pronounced: /i.ɛː.suːs/) is transliterated as “Jesus” (pronounced /ˈdʒiːzəs/) in English (but was translated as “Hælend” [the “healing one”] in Old English — see Swain 2019) it is transliterated and pronounced in a large variety of other ways as well, following the different rules of different languages’ orthographies, writing systems and rules of pronunciation. The following is a (partial) list of forms of Jesus in Latin characters: aYeso, Azezi, Cecoc, Chesús, Chi̍i̍sū, Chisɔsi, Ciisahs, Ciise, Ciisusu, Djesu, Ɛisa, Ƹisa, Eyesu, Gesù, Gesû, Gesü, Ġesù, Ghjesù, Giêsu, ꞌGiê‑ꞌsu, Giê-xu, Gyisɛse, Hesu, Hesús, Hisus, Hisuw, Ià-sŭ, Iesen, Ié:sos, Iesu, Iesui, Iesusɨn, Iesusiva, Ié:sos, Ihu, Iisus, Iisussa, Ijeesu, iJisọsị, Iji̍sɔ̄ɔsi, Iosa, Íosa, Ìosa, İsa, I’sa, Isiso, Isõs, Ísu, Isus, Isusa, Iisussa, Isuthi, Itota, Îtu, Isuva, Izesu, Izesuq, Jasus, Jeeju, Jeesus, Jeesuse, Jeezas, Jehu, Jeisu, Jeju, Jejus, Jeso, Jesoe, Jesosa, Jesoshi, Jesosy, Jesu, Jesû, Jesua, Jesuh, Jesuhs, Jesuo, Jesús, Jésus, Jesúsu, Jethu, Jezed, Jezi, Jézi, Ježiš, Jezu, Jezus, Jézus, Jėzus, Jēzus, Jezusi, Jėzus, Jezuz, Jiijajju, Jíísas, Jiizas, Jíìzọ̀s, Jisas, Jisase, Jisasi, Jisasɨ, Jisaso, Jisesi, Jisɛ̀, Jisos, Jisọs, Jisɔs, Jisu, Jiszs, Jizọs, Jizɔs, Jizọsi, Jizọsu, Jòso, Jusu, Jweesus, Ketsutsi, Njises, Sesi, Sisa, Sísa, Sisas, Sīsū, Sizi, Txesusu, uJesu, Ujísɔ̄si, ŵaYesu, Xesosi, ´Xesús, Xesús, Yasu, Ya:su, Ɣaysa, Yecu, Yeeb Sub, Yeeh Suh, Yeesey, Yeeso, Yeesso, Yēēsu, Yēēsu, Yehsu, Yëësu, Yeisu, Yeisuw, Yeshu, Yeso, Yesò, Yëso, Yɛso, ye-su, Yésu, Yêsu, Yẹ́sụ̃, Yésʉs, Yeswa, Yet Sut, Yetut, Yexus, Yezo, Yezu, Yiesu, Yiisa, Yiisu, Yiitju, Yis, Yisɔs, Yisufa, Yitati, Yusu, ‑Yusu, :Yusu’, Zeezi, Zezi, Zezì, Zezwii, Ziizɛ, Zisas, Zîsɛ, Zjezus, Zozi, Zozii, and this (much more incomplete) list with other writings systems: ᔩᓱᓯ, ᒋᓴᔅ, Հիսուս, ᏥᏌ, ኢየሱስ, ያሱስ, ܝܫܘܥ, Ісус, Їисъ, 耶稣, იესო, ईसा, イエス, イイスス, イエスス, 예수, येशू, येशो, ਈਸਾ, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ජේසුස්, যীশু, ଯୀଶୁ, ཡེ་ཤུ་, ‘ঈছা, இயேசு, ಯೇಸು, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ယေရှု, ઇસુ, जेजू, येसु, เยซู, យេស៊ូ, ᱡᱤᱥᱩ, ယေသှု, యేసు, ᤕᤧᤛᤢ᤺ᤴ, އީސާގެފާނު, ਯਿਸੂ, ꕉꖷ ꔤꕢ ꕞ, ⵏ⵿ⵗⵢⵙⴰ, ଜୀସୁ, يَسُوعَ,ㄧㄝㄙㄨ, YE-SU, ꓬꓰ꓿ꓢꓴ, 𖽃𖽡𖾐𖼺𖽹𖾏𖼽𖽔𖾏, ꑳꌠ, ᠶᠡᠰᠦᠰ (note that some of these might not display correctly if your device does not have the correct fonts installed).
Click or tap here to read more.
In some languages the different confessions have selected different transliterations, such as in Belarusian with Isus (Ісус) by the Orthodox and Protestant churches and Yezus (Езус) by the Catholic church, Bulgarian with Iisus (Иисус) by the Orthodox and Isus (Исус) by the Protestant church, Japanese with Iesu (イエス) (Protestant and Catholic) and Iisusu (イイスス) (Orthodox), or Lingala with Yesu (Protestant) or Yezu (Catholic). These differences have come to the forefront especially during the work on interconfessional translations such as one in Lingala where “many hours were spent on a single letter difference” (source: Ellington, p. 401).
In Literary and Mandarin Chinese where transliterations of proper names between the Catholic and Protestant versions typically differ vastly, the Chinese name of Jesus (Yēsū 耶稣) remarkably was never brought into question between and by those two confessions, likely due to its ingenious choice. (Click or tap here to see more).
The proper name of God in the Old Testament, Yahweh (YHWH), is rendered in most Chinese Bible translations as Yēhéhuá 耶和華 — Jehovah. According to Chinese naming conventions, Yēhéhuá could be interpreted as Yē Héhuá, in which Yē would be the family name and Héhuá — “harmonic and radiant” — the given name. In the same manner, Yē 耶 would be the family name of Jesus and Sū 稣 would be his given name. Because in China the children inherit the family name from the father, the sonship of Jesus to God the Father, Jehovah, would be illustrated through this. Though this line of argumentation sounds theologically unsound, it is indeed used effectively in the Chinese church (see Wright 1953, p. 298).
Moreover, the “given name” of Sū 稣 carries the meaning ‘to revive, to rise again’ and seems to point to the resurrected Jesus. (Source: J. Zetzsche in Malek 2002, p. 141ff., see also tetragrammaton (YHWH))
There are different ways that Bible translators have chosen historically and today in how to translate the name of Jesus in predominantly Muslim areas: with a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) (which is used for “Jesus” in the Qur’an), the Greek Iēsous, or, like major 20th century Bible translations into Standard Arabic, the Aramaic Yēšūaʿ: Yasua (يَسُوعَ). (Click or tap here to see more.)
Following are languages and language groups that use a form of Isa include the following (note that this list is not complete):
- Indo-Iranian languages: Persian, Dari, Central Pashto, Southern Pashto all use Eysa (عيسی or عيسىٰ for Southern Pashto), Sindhi uses Eysey (عيسيٰ), Southern Balochi Issa (ایسّا), Central Kurdish (Sorani) and Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) use Îsa (عیسای and Иса respectively), Turkmen has Isa, and Tajik Isoi (Исои — compare Iso/Исо in the Tajik Qur’an)
- Turkic languages: Turkish uses İsa, Kazakh, Kumyk, Nogai, Crimean Tatar all have Isa (Иса), Kirghiz has Iysa (Ыйса), Uzbek has Iso (Исо — compare Iiso/Ийсо in the Uzbek Qur’an), Bashkir uses Aaisa (Ғайса), North Azerbaijani İsa, Uighur uses Eysa (ئەيسا), and Kara-Kalpak İysa (Ийса)
- Caucasian languages: Bezhta and Lezghian use Isa (Иса), Avaric has Aisa (ГІиса), and Chechen Iza (Иза)
- Various African languages: Somali, a Cushitic language, has Ciise, Kabyle has Ɛisa and Tahaggart Tamahaq has Yeswa (both Berber languages), the Saharan languages Central Kanuri, Manga Kanuri have Isa, the Atlantic-Congo languages Dagbani, Mampruli, and Bimoba use Yisa, and the Chadian Arabic Bible has Isa (عِيسَى)
- In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
- Some languages have additional “TAZI” editions (TAZI stands for “Tawrat, Anbiya, Zabur, and Injil” the “Torah, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel”) of the New Testament that are geared towards Muslim readers where there is also a translation in the same language for non-Muslims. In those editions, Isa is typically used as well (for example, the Khmer TAZI edition uses Isa (អ៊ីសា) rather than the commonly used Yesaou (យេស៊ូ), the Thai edition uses Isa (อีซา) rather than Yesu (เยซู), the Chinese edition uses Ěrsā (尔撒) vs. Yēsū (耶稣), and the English edition also has Isa rather than Jesus.)
In German the name Jesus (pronounced: /ˈjeːzʊs/) is distinguished by its grammatical forms. Into the 20th century the grammatical rules prescribed a unique Greek-Latin declination: Jesus (nominative), Jesu (genitive, dative, vocative), Jesum (accusative), from which today only the genitive case “Jesu” is still in active use. Likewise, in Seediq (Taroko), the morphological treatment of “Jesus” also occupies a special category by not falling under the normal rule of experiencing a vowel reduction when the object-specific suffix an is added “since it was felt that the readers might resent that the name has been changed that drastically.” (Compare Msian for “Moses” (Mosi) as an object, but Yisuan for “Jesus” (Yisu).) (Source: Covell 1998. p. 249)
In Lamba the name ŵaYesu consists of a transliteration Yesu and the prefix ŵa, a plural form for “proper names when addressing and referring to persons in any position of seniority or honor.” While this was avoided in early translations to avoid possible misunderstandings of more than one Jesus, once the church was established it was felt that it was both “safe” and respectful to use the honorific (pl.) prefix. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )
In virtually all sign languages, “Jesus” is signed with the middle finger of each hand pointing to the palm (or wrist) of the other in succession (signing the nails of the cross). In the context of Bible translation this has been pointed out as theologically problematic since the “semantic connections of the original name Jesus do point towards ‘salvation,’ they do not naturally lead to crucifixion.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 1 (2020), p. 33ff.)
“Jesus” in German Sign Language (source )
Following is the oldest remaining Ethiopian Orthodox icon of Jesus from the 14th or possibly 13th century (found in the Church of the Saviour of the World in Gurji, Ethiopia). As in many Orthodox icons, Jesus’ right hand forms the Greek letters I-C-X-C for IHCOYC XPICTOC or “Jesus Christ.” Another interpretation of the right hand is that it shows three fingers pointing to the Trinity, while the two other fingers point to Jesus’ two natures.
Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The style of the following drawing of Jesus by Annie Vallotton is described by the artist as this: “By using few lines the readers fill in the outlines with their imagination and freedom. That is when the drawings begin to communicate.” (see here )
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, copyright by Donald and Patricia Griggs of Griggs Educational Service.
Other visual representation of Jesus in TIPs include several non-Western styles of art: traditional Korean art, traditional Chinese art, modern Chinese abstract art, northern and central Thailand’s popular art, Japanese prints.
See also this devotion on YouVersion .