ἔλεγεν γὰρ ὁ Ἰωάννης τῷ Ἡρῴδῃ ὅτι Οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι ἔχειν τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου.
18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Text under painting translated from Literary Chinese into English:
The Ninth Commandment
John criticizes the King for marrying his younger brother’s wife
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.
The Greek that is transliterated as “Herod (Antipas)” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for king and and a sign depicting cutting off the head (of John the Baptist), referring to Matthew 14:10 et al. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
“Herod” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Herod Antipas .
Many languages have terms for siblings that define whether one is younger or older in relation to another sibling.
The brother of Herod is translated as “older brother” in Basa (baatagwu) (source: Rob Koops) or Chilcotin (bunagh) (source: Quindel King).
Reiling / Swellengrebel (p. 178) say: “According to Josephus Herodias’ first husband, referred to in this verse, was Herod, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne (the second wife of that name). Herod the tetrarch was the son of Herod the Great and Malthake, whom he married after Mariamne. Hence ‘adelphou’ refers to an older brother of a different mother.”
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, John addresses Herod with the informal pronoun, showing a lack of respect.
The Greek that is translated as “lawful” in English is translated in a 1922 translation into Chagatai, a precursor language of both Uzbek and Uighur, with the Arabic loan word jayiz (جائز), meaning “permitted (because there is no prohibition by religion)” in an Islamic context. (Source: F. Erbay and F.N. Küçükballı in Acta Theologica 2025 45/2, p. 133ff. )
The name that is transliterated as “John (the Baptist)” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language and Mexican Sign Language as “baptize” (source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. ).
“John the Baptist” in Mexican Sign Language (source: BSLM )
In German Sign Language (Catholic) it is translated with the sign for the letter J and the sign signifying a Catholic baptism by sprinkling on the head.
“John” in German Sign Language (catholic), source: Taub und katholisch
In American Sign Language it is translated with the sign for the letter J and the sign signifying “shout,” referring to John 1:23. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“John” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Similarly, in French Sign Language, it is “prepare the way.” (Source: Lexique – Explications en langue des signes)
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign for leaping in the womb (see Luke 1:41) and baptism. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
“John” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL
A question of cultural assumptions arose in Tuvan. The instinctive way to translate this name denotatively would be “John the Dipper,” but this would carry the highly misleading connotation that he drowned people. It was therefore decided that his label should focus on the other major aspect of his work, that is, proclaiming that the Messiah would soon succeed him. (Compare his title in Russian Orthodox translation “Иоанн Предтеча” — “John the Forerunner.”) So he became “John the Announcer,” which fortunately did not seem to give rise to any confusion with radio newsreaders! (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
In Noongar it is translated as John-Kakaloorniny or “John Washing” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
A new oral translation into Yao / Ciyawo, spoken in Mozambique, uses John the one who ceremoniously washes/pours water, using a term (kusingula) that “indicates a ceremonial washing or pouring of water on a person in the Yawo’s expression of Islam which can be used for an act done in repentance of sin.” (Source: Houston 2025, p. 236)
See also John the Baptist (icon) and learn more on Bible Odyssey: John the Baptist .
Following is a Syriac Orthodox icon of John the Baptist from the 18/19th century (found in the Cathedral of Saints Constantine and Helen, Yabrud, Syria).
The wings are often depicted in icons of John the Baptist because of his status as a messenger. The scroll that John the Baptist holds quotes John 1:29 and reads (translated into English): “I saw and witnessed concerning him, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’”
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 )
See also John the Baptist.
Following is the translation of Mark 6:17-29 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath (note that verses 14-16 are placed at the end of this episode in Mexican Sign Language):
© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
¿Recuerdan a Juan el Bautista? Él fue encarcelado. ¿Porqué fue?
Miren, la esposa del hermano de Rey Herodes, Felipe, era Herodías. El Rey Herodes había robado y casado Herodías.
Juan el Bautista lo había insultado (diciendo): “Es la esposa de tu hermana, es ocupada, no debes robarla y casarla, la Ley de Dios lo prohibe, lo dice una y otra vez.”
El rey había mandado a soldados para arrestar a Juan el Bautista, lo habían atado con cadenas de hierro y lo habían metido en el cárcel.
Después, por un tiempo Juan el Bautista explicaba sobre Dios y el Rey Herodes lo oía: Huy interesante. Siento miedo viendolo, ¿qué tipo de hombre es? En verdad, es justo y santo. ¿Lo acepto? Estoy dudando.
Herodías lo odiaba a Juan el Bautista quería que fue matado: ¡Qué estorbo que mi esposo conserva y protege a Juan el Bautista! Y ella esperaba.
Después, un día, por fin….. En el cumpleaños del Rey Herodes, en el mismo lugar en Galilea invitaban a gobernadores, líderes militares, y hombres superiores. Una multitud se congregaba en la casa del Rey Herodes por una fiesta, un banquete.
Mientras estaban comiendo la hija de Herodías, una jóven, vino a bailar, y todos la vieron y les gustó mucho.
El Rey Herodes lo miraba y dijo: “Tu pideme lo que quieras y te lo doy, en verdad, lo prometo. Si tú quieres parto el reino entre nosotros dos y te doy la mitad, dime lo que quieras.”
La mujer:: ‘espera un tantito’ y caminó (hacia su madre) y dijo: “Mamá, ¿cuál cosa le pido que me dé? La mamá fue: bueno, y dijo: “Dile (que quieres) Juan el Bautista decapitado.”
La mujer caminó (hacia el rey) y dijo: “Quiero pedir que Juan el Bautista sea decapitado y que me traigan su cabeza en un plato, ahorita.”
El rey se sentía angustiado y dijo a si mismo: Caray, ya dije que lo prometí de verdad, qué estorbo, y todos me vieron.
Dijo a un soldado: “Vete decapita a Juan el Bautista, pon su cabeza en un plato y traemelo.”
El soldado fue y entró el cárcel y decapitó a Juan el Bautista, puso su cabeza en un plato y lo llevó. La mujer tomó el plato y lo llevó a su mamá.
Después las personas lo chismearon hasta lejos y advertieron los discípulos de Juan el Bautista que ya había muerto y los discípulos fueron y trajeron el cuerpo de Juan el Bautista y lo enterraron.
Do you remember John the Baptist. He was put in prison. Why?
Look, the wife of the brother of King Herod, Philip, was Herodias. King Herod had stolen and married Herodias.
John the Baptist had insulted him (by saying): “She is taken as the wide of your brother, you must not steal her and marry her, the Law of God prohibits it, it says so again and again.”
The king had ordered soldiers to arrest John the Baptist and they had chained him with iron chains and had put him in prison.
Afterwards for a while John the Baptist would explain about God and King Herod would hear him: Wow, interesting, I feel afraid when I see him. What kind of man is he? Truly, he is upright and holy. Shall I accept (what he says). I am in doubt.
Herodias hated John the Baptist and wanted him killed: What a nuisance that my husband preserves and protects John the Baptist! She waited.
Afterwards, one day, finally….For King Herod’s birthday, in Galilee itself, they invited governors, military leaders and high-ranking men. A multitude came together in the house of King Herod for a feast, a banquet.
While they were eating the daughter of Herodias, a young woman, came to dance and they all watched her and liked it very much.
King Herod looked at her and said: “Ask me whatever you want and I’ll give it to you, really, I promise. If you want we will share the kingdom, I will give you half, tell me what you want.”
The woman went: ‘wait just a moment’ and she walked over (to her mother) and said: “Mother, what shall I ask that he give me?” The mother went ‘good’, and said: “You tell him (you want) John the Baptist beheaded.”
The woman walked over (to the king) and said: “I want to ask that John the Baptist is beheaded and that they bring me his head on a plate, right now.”
The king was distressed and said to himself: Ay, it’s happened, I said that I really promised, what a nuisance, everyone saw me.
He said to a soldier: “Go, and behead John the Baptist, put his head on a plate and bring it to me.”
The soldier went and entered the prison, beheaded John the Baptist, put his head on a plate and took it over. The woman received the plate and took it to her mother.
Afterwards people passed on the news far and wide and they warned the disciples of John the Baptist that he had died, and the disciples went and brought back the body of John the Baptist and buried it.
Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
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