amazed / astonished / marvel

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The Greek that is translated as “astonished” or “amazed” or “marvel” in English is translated in Pwo Karen as “stand up very tall.” (In John 5:20, source: David Clark)

Elsewhere it is translated as “confusing the inside of the head” (Mende), “shiver in the liver” (Uduk, Laka), “to lose one’s heart” (Mískito, Tzotzil), “to shake” (Southern Bobo Madaré), “to be with mouth open” (Panao Huánuco Quechua) (source: Bratcher / Nida), “to stand with your mouth open” (Citak) (source: Stringer 2007, p. 120), “ceasing to think with the heart” (Bulu), “surprise in the heart” (Yamba) (source for this and one above: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. ), or “have one’s mouth full” (Maan (source: Don Slager).

In Mark 5:20 and elsewhere where the astonishment is a response to listening to Jesus, the translation is “listen quietly” in Central Tarahumara, “forget listening” (because they were so absorbed in what they heard that they forgot everything else) in San Miguel El Grande Mixtec, “it was considered very strange by them” in Tzeltal (source: Bratcher / Nida), “in glad amazement” (to distinguish it from other kinds of amazement) (Quetzaltepec Mixe) (source: Robert Bascom), or “breath evaporated (or “escaped”)” (Mairasi) (source: Enngavoter 2004).

In Western Dani astonishment is emphasized with direct speech. In Mark 1:22, for instance, it says: “Wi!” yinuk, pi wareegwaarak — “They were all amazed, saying ‘Oh'” (source: Lourens De Vries in The Bible Translator 1992, p. 333ff. )

In Low German it is translated as grote Oken maken or “make big eyes” (sometime followed by: un kreegn dat Stillswiegen: “and became silent”) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

In the Kölsch translation (Boch 2017) it is translated as brummte de Lück de Kopp or “the heads of the people buzzed,” Bauklötz jestaunt, lit. “marvel toy blocks,” and vür Staune de Muhl nit mieh zojekräch or “so full of marvel that they couldn’t close their mouths again.”

In the Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012) it is often translated as baff vor staune or “speechless because of their marvel.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

See also amazed and astonished, astonished (Mark 6:51), and I’m astonished.

boat, ship

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated “boat” or “ship” in English is translated in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “that with which we can walk on water” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.), in Chitonga as a term in combination with bwato or “dugout canoe” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 72), and in Tangale as inj am or “canoe-of water” (inj — “canoe” — on its own typically refers to a traditional type of carved-out log for sleeping) (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).

In Kouya it is translated as ‘glʋ ‘kadʋ — “big canoe.”

Philip Saunders (p. 231) explains how the Kouya team arrived at that conclusion:

“Acts chapter 27 was a challenge! It describes Paul’s sea voyage to Italy, and finally Rome. There is a storm at sea and a shipwreck on Malta, and the chapter includes much detailed nautical vocabulary. How do you translate this for a landlocked people group, most of whom have never seen the ocean? All they know are small rivers and dugout canoes.

“We knew that we could later insert some illustrations during the final paging process which would help the Kouya readers to picture what was happening, but meanwhile we struggled to find or invent meaningful terms. The ‘ship’ was a ‘big canoe’ and the ‘passengers’ were ‘the people in the big canoe’; the ‘crew’ were the ‘workers in the big canoe’; the ‘pilot’ was the ‘driver of the big canoe’; the ‘big canoe stopping place’ was the ‘harbour’, and the ‘big canoe stopping metal’ was the ‘anchor’!”

In Lokạạ it is translated as ukalangkwaa, lit. “English canoe.” “The term was not coined for the Bible translation, but rather originated in colonial times when the English arrived in Nigeria on ships. The indigenous term for a canoe was modified to represent the large, ocean-going ship of the English.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

See also ships of Tarshish, harbor, anchor, and sailor.

Mark 6:45-52 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 6:45-52 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus did a miracle. There were five loaves and two fish. Jesus fed all the people, about 5,000 of them. They all ate, and there were even extra pieces of bread left over for the 12 baskets. Though the disciples saw the miracle, they did not understand its meaning.

Jesus looked at them and said:

— Go, get into the boat and go to the city of Bethsaida. I will stay here a while longer.

The disciples obeyed, they got into the boat and set sail. Jesus let all the people go home and remained alone. He went up on a mountain and prayed there. It was late evening. At this time the disciples sailed to the middle of the lake. Jesus, standing on the mountain, saw the sea raging. A strong wind arose, and there were waves on the lake. The boat with the disciples could hardly remain on the water. Jesus saw this, and he walked straight across the water. He stepped on the water and did not sink and walked on the water. It was early morning, and the disciples on the boat were exhausted. Jesus walked on the water past the boat. The disciples noticed him and cried out in terror:

— The Spirit! The Spirit is coming!

They were very frightened. Jesus stopped and said:

— Disciples, it is I, Jesus!

Jesus walked straight across the water to the boat and got into it. Immediately the wind died down and the lake calmed down. The disciples were amazed. They said to each other:

— Jesus walked on the water?! He did not drown? And the wind obeyed Jesus?!

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

Иисус сделал чудо. Было пять хлебов и две рыбы. Иисус накормил ими всех людей, которых было около 5000. Все они наелись, даже остались лишние куски хлеба, которые собрали 12 корзин. Ученики хоть видели это чудо, но смысл его не поняли.

Иисус посмотрел на них и сказал:

— Идите, садитесь в лодку и отправляйтесь в город Вифсаида. А я еще побуду здесь.

Ученики повиновались, они сели в лодку и отплыли. Иисус отпустил всех людей по домам и остался один. Он взошел на гору и там молился. Наступил поздний вечер. Ученики в это время проплыли середину озера. Иисус, стоя на горе, увидел, как море стало бушевать. Поднялся сильный ветер, на озере были волны. Лодка с учениками еле держалась на воде. Иисус увидел это, и он пошел прямо по воде. Он ступил на воду и не тонул и шел по воде. Наступило уже раннее утро, ученики на лодке совсем уже выбились из сил. Иисус же шел по воде мимо лодки. Ученики заметили его и стали в ужасе кричать:

— Дух! Дух идет!

Они очень испугались. Иисус остановился и сказал:

— Ученики, это Я, Иисус!

Иисус прямо по воде подошел к лодке и сел в нее. Ветер тут же стих, и озеро тут же успокоилось. Ученики были поражены. Они говорили друг другу:

— Иисус шел по воде?!! И не тонул?!! И ветер подчиняется Иисусу?!

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 6:30-44 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 6:53-56 in Russian Sign Language >>

Mark 6:45-52 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 6:45-52 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 dijo a los discípulos: “Uds suban al barco y zarpen a Betsaida, vayan” y caminó hacia toda la gente y los despidió y subió la montaña.

Jesus estaba orando toda la noche y los discípulos estaban zarpando en el barco. Después vino un viento fuerte, y los discípulos que estaban remando, no podían remar.

Desde la montaña donde Jesús estaba orando, veía en la distancia las olas y el barco arrojado por las olas. Jesús bajó y caminó en las olas, como a las tres o cuatro de la madrugada.

En el barco, que estaba balanceando en las olas, los doce discípulos miraron que alguien vino caminando en las olas, pareció una fantasma, y gritaron de angustia.

Jesús estaba caminando hacia ellos (y dijo): “Calmense, no tengan miedo, soy yo mismo.”

Jesús caminó al barco y subió y instantaneamente el viento desapareció y las olas disminuyeron y el barco no estaba moviendo tan fuerte. Los discípulos estaban sorprendidos, boquiabiertos.

Los discípulos, ¿porqué estaban sorprendidos y boquiabiertos? No entendían, por el milagro reciente del pan no habían descubierto nada, sus mentes eran duros.


Jesus said to the disciples: “You go in the boat and sail to Betsaida, go now”, and he walked over to all the people and sent them off and he walked up the mountain.

Jesus was praying the whole night and the disciples were in the boat. Then a strong wind came and the disciples, who were rowing, could not row anymore.

From the mountain where Jesus was praying, he saw in the distance the waves and the boat being thrown about on the waves. Jesus walked down and walked on the waves at about three or four o’clock in the morning.

In the boat, which was swung about by the waves, the twelve disciples looked and saw someone coming, walking on the waves, it looked like a ghost and they screamed in anguish.

Jesus came walking up to them (and said): “Calm down, don’t be afraid, it is me.”

Jesus walked to the boat and got in and instantly the wind disappeared and the waves got smaller and the boat moved more calmly. The disciples were surprised, agape.

Why were the disciples surprised and agape? They did not understand, they had not got it after the recent miracle with the bread, their minds were hard/stubborn.

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 6:32-44 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 6:53-56 in Mexican Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 6:51)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 6:51:

  • Uma: “He got in the boat with them, [and] the wind suddenly died away. No kidding their amazement, for they were frozen-with-fear.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa got into the boat with them. When he got in, the wind stopped therefore the disciples of Isa were very amazed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He got into their boat and the wind stopped, and they were very much amazed at Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind became-still. His disciples were extremely surprised,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus got into the boat with his disciples. Suddenly/unexpectedly the wind died down. His disciples were very amazed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("climb aboard")

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, norikom-are-ru (乗り込まれる) or “climb aboard” is used.

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