The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated in English versions as “hell” (or “Gehenna”) is translated (1) by borrowing a term from a trade or national language (this is done in a number of Indian languages in Latin America, which have borrowed Spanishinfierno — from Latininfernus: “of the lower regions”), (2) by using an expression denoting judgment or punishment, e.g. “place of punishment” (Loma), “place of suffering” (Highland Totonac, San Blas Kuna) and (3) by describing a significant characteristic: (a) the presence of fire or burning, e.g. “place of fire” (Kipsigis, Mossi), “the large bonfire” (Shipibo-Conibo), or (b) the traditionally presumed location, e.g. “the lowest place” (a well-known term in Ngäbere), “the place inside” long used to designate hell, as a place inside the earth (Aymara). (Source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
In Noongar it is translated as Djinbaminyap or “Punishing place” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Tagbanwa as “the fire which had no dying down” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation), and in Cherokee as “Devils’ (lit. Ghosts’) place” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16).
The Mandarin Chinesedìyù (地獄 / 地狱), literally “(under) earth prison,” is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32)
The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “soul” in English is translated in Chol with a term that refers to the invisible aspects of human beings (source: Robert Bascom), in Yagaria with oune or “shadow, reflection” (source: Renck, p. 81), and in Elhomwe as “heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).
The Mandarin Chineselínghún (靈魂 / 灵魂), literally “spirit-soul,” is often used for “soul” (along with xīn [心] or “heart”). This is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32, see also Clara Ho-yan Chan in this article )
In Chichewa, moyo means both “soul” and “life.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
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)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 10:28:
Uma: “Don’t be afraid of people/mankind who want to kill you, because they do not have the power to punish you in hell. What you [should] be afraid of is God, because he has the power/authority to kill you, and he also has the power/authority to punish you in hell.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but as for the soul they certainly cannot kill. But him you should fear, God, for he can destroy in hell not only the body but also the soul.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t be afraid of people. They can only kill your body. They can’t kill your soul. God is the one you should be afraid of, because he can kill body and even your soul by means of hell.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Do not be afraid of those who kill only the body of a person but they are not capable of killing his spirit, but rather fear God. Because he is capable of punishing the body and also the spirit of people in hell.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Don’t fear a person who kills the body but can’t kill the soul. The one you really are to fear is God, he being the one who can destroy the soul and the body there in the fire which doesn’t die down.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Do not be afraid of those who want to kill you. Because when they have killed you then they can do nothing to your souls. Concerning God who has the power to finish off your bodies and also your souls there in hell, he it is whom you should fear.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): ” Do not be afraid of those who kill you physically but cannot kill your innermost being. But be afraid of God. For he can cause you to perish in hell, both outwardly and inwardly.”
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
Do not fear … kill the soul may be translated “Do not be afraid of people. They can only kill the body, but not the soul.”
The word soul must be interpreted in light of its Jewish background, where it has a wide range of meaning. For example, it can refer both to the vital life principle that animated all living creatures (humans and animals alike) and to an individual’s real self that did not cease to exist at death. The second of these meanings is obviously in focus here. Jesus warns his followers not to be afraid of people; they may have the power to kill one’s body, but they cannot kill one’s soul.
This verse can pose several problems to translators. Kill the body may sound strange, in which case it will have to be “kill you (physically)” or “cause you to die.”
Some languages will know of some force that men have that is their real self and that continues to exist after their death. If so, translators can use that here for soul. Others may be able to say “your spirit that does not die” or, if “spirit” poses a problem, “your true nature that lives on always.”
Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell is correctly identified as “God” by Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Bible en français courant. Barclay attempts to achieve the same goal by capitalizing “One,” but this is of no help to the persons who must depend upon hearing the Scripture read.
Hell is literally “Gehenna” (Moffatt, New American Bible, RSV footnote). Most translations have hell, though An American Translation has “the pit,” and Phillips “the fires of destruction.” See comments on 5.22 (also 5.29). Hell can also be here “the fires that destroy the wicked.”
This relative clause may be easier to express as a separate sentence: “But instead you should fear God. He is the one who can kill you and destroy your soul in hell.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul: The word those refers to people in general. Specifically, it refers to the people who persecuted the disciples and had the authority to kill them.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Don’t be afraid of people, who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (New Century Version)
-or-
Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. (Contemporary English Version)
soul: The soul is the part of a person that continues to exist when his body dies. In some languages, this is called the spirit of a person.
10:28b
Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell: The words the One who can destroy both soul and body refers to God. Only God can destroy both the soul and the body.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (New Living Translation (2004))
destroy: This word means “ruin, demolish.” When something is destroyed, it cannot work or act, and it cannot be repaired. This verb does not refer to something that disappears and is gone.
hell: The word hell refers to the place of eternal punishment. It is the place where God will send unbelievers following the final judgment. God will also send the devil and his angels there.
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