gospel

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In choosing a word for the Greek that is typically translated as “gospel” in English, a number of languages construct a phrase meaning “good news,” “joyful report” or “happiness-bringing words.” In some instances such a phrase may be slightly expanded in order to convey the proper meaning, e.g. “new good word” (Tzotzil), or it may involve some special local usage:

  • “good story” (Navajo (Dinė))
  • “joyful telling” (Tausug)
  • “joyful message” (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • cohuen ñoñets or “message of God” (Shilluk) (source: Nida 1964, p. 237)
  • “good news” (Yanesha’) (source: Martha Duff in Holzhausen 1991, p. 11)
  • “voice of good spirit” (San Blas Kuna) (source: Claudio and Marvel Iglesias in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 85ff. )
  • suviśēṣattinṟe (0സുവിശേഷം) or “good narrative” (Malayalam)
  • susmachar (ସୁସମାଚାର) or “good matter” (Odia)
  • suvārteya (ಸುವಾರ್ತೆಯ) or “good word” (Kannada) (source for this and two above: Y.D. Tiwari in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 132ff. )
  • the German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) translates as “all-transformative good news” (alles verändernde gute Botschaft), also “good news”
Vitaly Voinov tells this story about the translation into Rutul (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

“In Rutul, it was only during the most recent consultant checking session that I realized that the Rutul word for Gospel – Incir (from Arabic إنجيل — Injil) — sounds and looks exactly like the word that means ‘fig’ in Rutul. This is a case of homonymy, in which two completely non-related words from differing historical sources have come to sound exactly alike. Most Rutul speakers know that incir means ‘fig’ because they grow this fruit in their yard or buy it at the market every week. However, because the religious sphere of discourse was heavily disparaged during the Soviet era, most people simply never encountered Incir with the meaning of ‘Gospel.’ This meaning of the word, which Rutuls of the pre-Soviet era knew from the Koran, simply fell into disuse and never had much reason for returning into contemporary Rutul since there is no Christian church established among the people. So if the translator continues to use the term Incir as the rendering for ‘Gospel,’ he runs the risk that most readers will, at best, read the word with a smile because they know that it also means ‘fig,’ and, at worst, will completely misunderstand the word. The seemingly ‘easy’ solution in this case is for the translator to use a Rutul neologism meaning ‘Joyful Message’ or ‘Good News,’ [see above] instead of Incir; but in fact it is not all that easy to make this change if the translator himself insists on using the historical word because at least some Rutuls still understand it as meaning ‘Gospel.’ This is a situation in which the translation team has to gradually grow into the understanding that a fully intelligible translation of Scripture is preferable to one that maintains old words at the cost of alienating much of the readership.”

For “good news,” see also Isaiah 52:7.

save

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The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

In San Blas Kuna it is rendered as “help the heart,” in Laka, it is “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver,” in Huautla Mazatec the back-translation of the employed term is “lift out on behalf of,” in Anuak, it is “have life because of,” in Central Mazahua “be healed in the heart,” in Baoulé “save one’s head” (meaning to rescue a person in the fullest sense), in Guerrero Amuzgo “come out well,” in Northwestern Dinka “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source: Bratcher / Nida), in Matumbi as “rescue (from danger)” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext), and in Noongar barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In South Bolivian Quechua it is “make to escape” and in Highland Puebla Nahuatl, it is “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand.” (Source: Nida 1947, p. 222.)

See also salvation and save (Japanese honorifics).

Mark 8:31 - 38 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 8:31-38 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 les advirtió: “En el futuro cercano, los ancianos judíos, los líderes de los sacerdotes y los maestros de la Ley, que no creen en el Hijo del Hombre, lo rechazarán.

Lo maltratarán, y el Hijo del Hombre tiene que sufrir, ellos lo matarán y morirá, pero después de tres días resucitará.”

Los discípulos pensaban: “Jesús está explicandolo claramente.”

Pedro dijo: “Nosotros dos tenemos un asunto”, y los dos se fueron un poco adelante. (Pedro dijo): Lo que tú dices está equivocado, está mal.”

Jesús miró a los discípulos, y volvió a mirar a Pedro regañandolo: “Tú hablas en la misma manera como satanás. Apartate satanás, tú no piensas como Dios, tú piensas como la gente.” Pedro se calló.

Jesús vio los discípulos y otras personas, y los llamó “ven” y una multitud se acercó. Jesús dijo: “Si uds quieren estar conmigo, acompañarme como discípulos, les advierto que no (pueden decir) necesito cuidar y conservar mi vidas y mis cosas, no, hay que dejar todo.

Deben aceptar a cargar la cruz, que quiere decir que me siguen sufriendo hasta la muerte.

Si dicen: “No, (necesito) cuidar a mi visa y mis cosas, y conservarlos, pues en el futuro perderán su vida.”

Jesús les advirtió: “Si uds creen en mi, y lo anuncian y predican y la gente los matarán, no importa, estarán salvos.

Les advierto: si un hombre rico gan propiedad de negocios por todo el mundo y después muere y pierde su vida y su alma, su riqueza no sirve. ¿Se puede pagar (a Dios) para que te dé vida eterna a tu alma?”

Jesus les advirtió: “Ahora todas las personas malas que no les importa el amor a Dios y que siguen pecando, si mi predicación es una estorba para uds y sienten pena, igual cando en el futuro Dios venga en gloria con el Hijo del Hombre acompañado con muchos ángeles santos, el Hijo del Hombre sentirá pena de ti.”


Jesus warned them: “In the near future the elders of the jews, the leaders of the priests and the teachers of the Law, who don’t believe in the Son of Man, will reject him.

“They will mistreat him and the Son of Man will have to suffer, they will kill him and he will die, but after three days he will rise.”

The disciples thought: “Jesus is explaining it clearly.”

Peter said: “We two have a matter to discuss”, and the two of them went away a little. (Peter said): “You are mistaken in what you say, it is bad!”

Jesus looked at the disciples, and then he looked at Peter again and told him off: “You speak in the same way at Satan. Get away Satan, you don’t think like God, you think like people.” Peter shut up.

Jesus saw the disciples and other people and called them to come, and a multitude approached him. Jesus said: “If you want to be with me, accompany me as disciples, I warn you that you (cannot say) I need to take care of and preserve my life or my things, no, you have to leave it all behind.

“You have to accept carrying the cross, which is to say, follow me in suffering unto death.

If you go: ‘No, I (need to) take care of my life and my things, and preserve them,’ then in the future you will lose your life.”

Jesus warned them: “If you believe in me and you announce it and preach and the people kill you, never mind, you will be saved.

“I warn you: if a rich man gains ownership of businesses throughout the world and then he dies and loses his life and his soul, his richness doesn’t help him. Can you pay (God) so that he will give your soul eternal life?”

Jesus warned them: “Now all the bad people who don’t care about loving God and go on sinning, if my preaching is a nuisance for you and you feel shame, in the same way when in the future God comes in glory with the Son of Man accompanied by many holy angels, the Son of Man will feel ashamed of you.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

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Mark 9:1 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 8:34-9:1 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 8:34-9:1 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus called the many people together, as well as his disciples.

Jesus said:

— Whoever among you wants to follow me must forsake his private life, his desires. Throughout his life he will accept many oppressions, sufferings until death. If a person is ready for all these things, he can follow me. If a person does not try to save his life, if he leaves his interests for me and for the good news, then the life of such a person will be saved in eternal life.

And the one who tries to save his life and lives for his own sake, the life of such a person will be lost. A man wants to get more riches, but still the life of such a person will be lost. What is the use of riches? Is it possible to buy eternal life with riches? No.

There are those and people who will be ashamed to tell about me before sinners and godless people, but will keep silent. But in the future, I will appear in a white robe, in all the glory of the Father and angels will be around me. And then, I will see people who have been ashamed of me, and I will be ashamed of them too.

And some people who are standing here, even before they die, will see the Kingdom of God in all its power.

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

Иисус созвал множество народа, а также своих учеников.

Иисус сказал:

— Кто из вас хочет последовать за мной, тот должен оставить свою личную жизнь, свои желания. В течение всей его жизни он примет множество притеснений, страданий до самой смерти. Если человек готов ко всем этому, он может последовать за мной. Если человек не старается сберечь свою жизнь, если оставляет свои интересы ради меня и ради благой вести, то жизнь такого человека будет спасена в жизни вечной.

А тот, кто старается свою жизнь сберечь и живет ради себя, то жизнь такого человека будет потеряна. Вот человек хочет получить побольше богатств, но все равно жизнь такого человека будет потеряна. Какая польза от богатства? Разве можно купить за богатство вечную жизнь? Нет.

Есть и такие и люди, которые постыдятся рассказать обо мне перед грешниками и безбожниками, но будут молчать. Но в будущем я предстану в белой одежде, во всей славе Отца и ангелы будут вокруг меня. И вот тогда, я увижу людей, которые постыдились меня, и я их тоже постыжусь.

И некоторые люди, которые стоят здесь, еще до своей смерти увидят Царство Божье во всей силе.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 8:31-33 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 9:2-8 in Russian Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 8:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:35:

  • Uma: “Who[ever] hangs-on-to his own desires, he won’t get good life. But who[ever] releases his own desires because he is following me and because of the Good News, even if it means his death, he is the one who will get good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For,’ said Isa, ‘if a person cherishes his life, he has no everlasting life. But if a person does not cherish his life and submits yet to die because of his persevering in following me and proclaiming the good news, na, that person has everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if there is a person who sets his heart on his life, he will die just the same. But if there is a person who follows me and spreads the good news even though it leads to his death, God will give him back his life and he will no longer die again forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because the one who esteems/considers-important himself, he will die just the same, but the one who dies on account of his faith in me and his preaching of the good news, there is life that has no end that God will give to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For the one who really values his life, it will indeed be lost to him. But the one who holds-fast to me and the spreading of the Good News even though it may cause his life/breath to be severed, life which is far-from-ordinary will really be his.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Whoever restrains himself, whoever will not let himself do (that is, protects himself) for my sake, his soul will go to ruin; and whoever with all his heart offers himself, who does not pity himself for my sake and for the good word’s sake, his soul will go to be saved.”
  • Ocotlán Zapotec: “He who does not want to die for me, will die, but he who loses his life for me and for the words of the gospel will live forever, will be saved.” (Source for this and above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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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 choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.