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The Greek that is usually translated as “scribe” in English “were more than mere writers of the law. They were the trained interpreters of the law and expounders of tradition.”

Here are a number of its (back-) translations:

  • Yaka: “clerk in God’s house”
  • Amganad Ifugao: “man who wrote and taught in the synagogue”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “teaching-writer” (“an attempt to emphasize their dual function”)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “book-wise person”
  • San Blas Kuna: “one who knew the Jews’ ways”
  • Loma: “educated one”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “one knowing holy paper”
  • Central Mazahua: “writer of holy words”
  • Indonesian: “expert in the Torah”
  • Pamona: “man skilled in the ordinances” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Sinhala: “bearer-of-the-law”
  • Marathi: “one-learned-in-the-Scriptures”
  • Shona (1966): “expert of the law”
  • Balinese: “expert of the books of Torah”
  • Ekari: “one knowing paper/book”
  • Tboli: “one who taught the law God before caused Moses to write” (or “one who taught the law of Moses”) (source for this and 5 above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Noongar: Mammarapa-Warrinyang or “law man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Mairasi: “one who writes and explains Great Above One’s (=God’s) prohibitions” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Chichewa: “teacher of Laws” (source: Ernst Wendland)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “teachers of law”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “writer”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “person who teaches the law which Moses wrote”
  • Alekano: “man who knows wisdom” (source for this and four above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Saint Lucian Creole French: titcha lwa sé Jwif-la (“teacher of the law of the Jews”) (source: David Frank in Lexical Challenges in the St. Lucian Creole Bible Translation Project, 1998)
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “one who teaches the holy writings”
  • Atatláhuca Mixtec: “teacher of the words of the law”
  • Coatlán Mixe: “teacher of the religious law”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “one who is a teacher of the law which God gave to Moses back then”
  • Tepeuxila Cuicatec: “one who know well the law” (Source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Huixtán Tzotzil: “one who mistakenly thought he was teaching God’s commandments”(Huixtán Tzotzil frequently uses the verb -cuy to express “to mistakenly think something” from the point of view of the speaker; source: Marion M. Cowan in Notes on Translation 20/1966, pp. 6ff.)
  • Sumau: “law-knowing men” (source: this blog post by Todd Owen)
  • German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “theologian” and the 1998 translation by Walter Jens: “interpreter of scriptures” (Schriftausleger)
  • English translation by Scot McKnight (The Second Testament, publ. 2023): Covenant Code scholar

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


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

Mark 7:1- 2 and 5 - 17a in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 7:1-2 and 5-17a 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)

Todos los judíos y los fariseos tienen sus costumbres y tradiciones, por ejemplo no empiezan a comer antes de lavar las manos, y cuando estén limpios pueden comer.

Los fariseos y algunos maestros de la ley salieron de Jerusalén y fueron (hacia Jesús y sus disípulos) y se dieron cuenta de que los discípulos estaban comiendo pan.

Los Fariseos pensaban: No han lavado las manos, están inmundos. Y dijeron: “Jesús, ¿porqué no obedecen tus discípulos la ley? Ellos saben las costumbres y las tradiciones de la Ley.”

Vemos que los discípulos están comiendo con manos inmundas.

Jesús (dijo): “Alto, mira, les explico algo. Hace mucho el hombre Isaías escribió en un rollo que Dios dice: uds siempre están hablando sobre respeto a Dios, pero adentro sus corazones están vacios, y su adoración a Dios no sirve porque lo que personas inventaron uds lo copiaron y lo han enseñado como ley, y después (se convirtió en) costumbres y tradiciones.

Isaías tenía razón en lo que escribió: Uds mismos, fariseos y maestros de la ley, son hipócritas porque lo que Dios manda en los mandamientos de la ley uds no lo toman en serio, pero las leyes que fueron inventados por personas uds las obedecen como costumbres y tradiciones. ¡Son bien inteligentes! Uds se apartan de los mandamientos de la ley de Dios

Moisés dice que Dios manda en los mandamientos de la ley que se debe respetar a los padres, y si alguien es disrespetuoso y rebelde debe ser matado.

Pero yo veo algo diferente; uds fariseos sugieren a un hombre que diga a sus papás que no les puede ayudar con dinero porque es ocupado por el corban, que significa que da el dinero al templo, para Dios.

¿Porqué aconsejan uds, los fariseos, que no es necesario ayudar a los papás? Porque uds no valoran la palabra de Dios, no lo toman en serio, pero sí valoran sus costumbres y tradiciones como leyes. Veo que tienen muchos errores.”

Llamó a la gente a que vinieran y una multitud se acercó. (Dijo): “Por favor pongan atención. ¿Uds piensan que lo que se come y entra el estomago puede hacer el corazón sucio y separarlos de Dios? No.

Si el corazón está inmundo de adentro sí hay separación de Dios. Veanme y entiendan, uds necesitan intentar a descubrirlo.”

Jesús se despidió y se fue a casa.


All the Jews and the Pharisees have their customs and traditions, for example they don’t begin to eat until they have washed their hands, and when they are clean they can eat.

The Pharisees and some teachers of the Law went out of Jerusalem and went over (towards Jesus and his disciples) and they noted that the disciples were eating bread.

The Pharisees thought: They haven’t washed their hands, they are unclean. And they said: “Jesus, why are your disciples not obeying the Law? They know the customs and the traditions of the Law.

“We see that the disciples are eating with unclean hands.”

Jesus (said): “Stop, look, I will explain something. A long time ago the man Isaiah wrote in a scroll that God says: you are always talking about respect for God, but inside your hearts are empty and your worship is in vane, because things that people have invented, you have copied and taught them as law, and then (they have become) customs and traditions.

“Isaiah was right in what he wrote: You yourselves, Pharisees and teachers of the Law, are hypocrites because what God has ordered in the commandments of the Law you don’t take seriously, but the laws that were invented by people you obey as your customs and traditions. You are really clever! You separate yourselves from the commandments of the Law of God.

§Moses says that God in the commandments of the Law orders that people need to respect their parents, and if someone is disrespectful and rebellious he needs to be killed.

“But I say something different: you Pharisees suggest to a man that he say to his parents that he cannot help them with money because it is taken for the corban, which means that he will give the money to the temple, for God.

“Why do you, Pharisees, advise people that they don’t have to help their parents? Because you don’t value the word of God, you don’t take it seriously, but you do value your customs and traditions as laws. I see that you have many errors.”

He told the people to come and a multitude gathered. (He said): “Please pay attention. You think that what you eat and what goes down to your stomach can make your heart dirty and separate you from God? No.

“If your heart is impure on the inside that will separate you from God. Watch me and understand, you need to try and figure it out.”

Jesus said goodbye and went home.

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 6:53-56 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 7:3-4 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 7:1-23 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 7:1-23 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

The people of Judea strictly followed the demands of tradition. Before eating, they were to wash their hands thoroughly up to the elbows. After going to the store and the market, they had to wash their hands thoroughly. Also they had to be thorough with kitchen utensils: cauldrons, plates.

And so the Pharisees and teachers of the law came from Jerusalem. They were indignant when they saw that Jesus’ disciples were not fulfilling the demands of tradition.

In indignation they turned to Jesus:

— Behold, your disciples are not fulfilling the demands of tradition! They had not washed their hands and were eating bread. What is this?

Jesus answered them:

— You Pharisees are hypocrites. In ancient times there lived a prophet named Isaiah. He was talking about the people of his time, but they were just like the Pharisees. The prophet said that these people thought they were very pious, very proud of it, but in fact, inwardly they were empty, far from God. They thought they were pious and outwardly honored God — but it was all false. They began to invent their own rules and laws and pass them off as God’s law, as God’s commandments. That’s what you are doing now, Pharisees. You disregard God’s commandments and make up your own. You have rejected God’s law, but you demand that people obey your rules.

In ancient times Moses gave Ten Commandments. There is this commandment: “Honor your father and mother.” If a son offends his parents, according to the law he should be punished by death.

And it happens like this: old parents who have no money to feed themselves, but the son has money. But you say to such a person:

— You should not give money to old parents, you should bring it as a gift to the Temple.

That is, you encourage people not to take care of their parents. Thus, your rules and statutes abrogate the Law of God.

Jesus called the people together and said to them:

— Listen and ponder! Do you think that man is defiled by food? No! Food is outward. But evil thoughts in the heart are what defile a man and spoil him.

Jesus walked away from the crowd and went into the house. Jesus’ disciples followed him. There the disciples began to question Jesus:

— We did not understand the meaning of what you were telling.

Jesus said:

— Have you not understood? Food is external. What you eat, it will not contaminate you, because it will be digested in the stomach and come out again, it does not give you bad thoughts in your heart. But if you have bad thoughts in your heart, it contaminates you. You think bad thoughts, you start doing bad things: cunning, malice, stealing, murder, cheating, greed, malice, deceit, rudeness, slander, insult, pride, stupidity — where does it all come from? It all comes from within, from the thoughts. If thoughts are dirty, then a person is unclean.

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

Жители Иудеи строго выполняли требования традиции. Перед едой они должны были тщательно вымыть руки до локтей. После магазина и рынка должны обязательно чисто-чисто вымыть руки. Также должны были тщательно быть кухонную посуду: котлы, тарелки.

И вот фарисеи и учителя закона пришли из Иерусалима. Они возмутились, когда увидели, что ученики Иисуса не исполняли требований традиции.

В негодовании они обратились к Иисусу:

— Вот, твои ученики не исполняют требований традиции! Они не вымыли руки и стали есть хлеб. Что это такое?

Иисус им ответил:

— Вы фарисеи — лицемеры. В древности жил пророк по имени Исайя. Он говорил о людях своего времени, но они были таким же, как фарисеи. Пророк говорил, что эти люди считали себя очень набожными, очень гордились этим, но на самом деле, внутренне они пусты, далеки от Бога. Они считали себя набожными и внешне почитали Бога — но это все фальшь. Они стали придумывать свои собственные правила и законы и выдавать их за Божий закон, за Божьи заповеди. Так же и вы сейчас поступаете, фарисеи. Вы заповедями Божьими пренебрегаете, и придумываете свои собственные. Божий закон вы отвергли, а требуете, чтобы люди исполняли ваши правила.

В древности Моисей дал 10 заповедей. Есть такая заповедь: «Почитай отца и мать». Если сын оскорбляет своих родителей, по закону он должен быть наказан смертью.

А бывает так: старые родители, у которых нет денег пропитание, а у сына деньги есть. Но вы же говорите такому человеку:

— Не нужно давать денег старым родителям, нужно их принести в дар в Храм.

То есть вы побуждаете людей не заботиться о родителях. Таким образом, ваши правила и уставы отменяют Закон Божий.

Иисус созвал людей и сказал им:

— Слушайте и поразмыслите! Вы думаете, человек оскверняется пищей? Нет! Еда — это внешнее. Но злые мысли в сердце — вот, что оскверняет человека и портят его.

Иисус ушел от толпы и вошел в дом. Ученики Иисуса последовали за ним. Там ученики стали спрашивать Иисуса:

— Мы не поняли смысл того, что ты рассказывал.

Иисус сказал:

— Вы не поняли? Пища — это внешнее. То, что вы едите, это вас не испачкает, потому что это переварится в желудке и снова выйдет наружу, от этого в сердце не появляются плохие мысли. Но если в вашем сердце плохие мысли — это вас пачкает. Вы думаете плохие мысли, начинаете делать плохие дела: хитрость, злоба, воровство, убийство, измены, жадность, злоба, лукавство, грубость, клевета, оскорбление, гордость, глупость — это все откуда? Это все исходит изнутри, из мыслей. Если мысли грязные, то и человек нечист.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 6:53-56 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 7:24-30 in Russian Sign Language >>

start of sections in Mark with the Greek καὶ

One of the distinctions of the gospel of Mark is a breathlessness of telling the story of Jesus. One way that is achieved is by using the Greek kai, normally “and” in English, at the beginning of sections. Different versions and languages have found their own ways of translating it, but the German translation by Walter Jens (publ. 1990, 1998) is unique by consistently using Und ich erzähle or “And I’m telling (you)” for every such occurrence of kai.

complete verse (Mark 7:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 7:1:

  • Uma: “Once there were some Parisi people and Yahudi religion teachers from Yerusalem who met with Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the Pariseo gathered there to Isa together with a number of teachers of the religious law from Awrusalam.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There was a time when some Pharisees and some teachers of the law from the town of Jerusalem came to Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “On one-occasion, there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law who went to where Jesus was, coming-from Jerusalem.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Once there were some Pariseo and explainers of law who came from Jerusalem who went to Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Pharisee

The Greek that is a transliteration of the Hebrew Pərūšīm and is typically transliterated into English as “Pharisee” is transliterated in Mandarin Chinese as Fǎlìsài (法利賽 / 法利赛) (Protestant) or Fǎlìsāi (法利塞) (Catholic). In Chinese, transliterations can typically be done with a great number of different and identical-sounding characters. Often the meaning of the characters are not relevant, unless they are chosen carefully as in these cases. The Protestant Fǎlìsài can mean something like “Competition for the profit of the law” and the Catholic Fǎlìsāi “Stuffed by/with the profit of the law.” (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 51)

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “prayer shawl”. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Pharisee” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts “pointing out the law.” (Source: Anna Smith)


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

In French Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts the box of the phylacteries attached to the forehead:


“Pharisees” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as Observant. He explains (p. 302): “Pharisee has become a public, universal pejorative term for a hypocrite. Pharisees were observant of the interpretation of the Covenant Code called the ‘tradition of the elders.’ They conformed their behaviors to the interpretation. Among the various groups of Jews at the time of Jesus, they were perhaps closest to Jesus in their overall concern to make a radical commitment to the will of God (as they understood it).”

See also Nicodemus.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Pharisees .