Herod vs. Herodias

The Greek that is transliterated in English as “Herod” and “Herodias” is translated in Southern Puebla Mixtec as “King Herod” and “the woman Herodias” to distinguish between confusingly similar names. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

John the Baptist (icon)

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.

Herod (Antipas)

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 .

John the Baptist

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 .

complete verse (Matthew 14:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 14:3:

  • Uma: “Like this the story of the death of Yohanes the Baptizer. King Herodes took/stole-away Herodias, the wife of his own relative/brother named Filipus. Many times Yohanes admonished/accosted Herodes for his behavior, he said to him: ‘You may not marry that woman! Your behavior transgresses the Law of Musa!’ Because of that, Herodes ordered his soldiers to catch/arrest Yohanes. They did catch him, tied him up and imprisoned him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For Sultan Herod had commanded hep that Yahiya be arrested and bound and put in prison. It happened like this: Sultan Herod and his sister-in-law Herodiyas desired each other, and-what’s-more his younger brother Pilip, the husband of Herodiyas was still alive. So-then when they married (lit. became one) Yahiya scolded the sultan. Yahiya said to him, ‘It is not right/allowed that you are one with the wife of your brother. You are sinning.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason why John was killed was because he criticized Herod, saying, ‘You have broken the law because you married Herodias,’ he said. Herod was the brother-in-law of Herodias, because she was the spouse of his younger sibling Felipe and because of that criticism of John, Herod had him seized and put in prison. He would have killed John, but he was afraid of the Jews because they knew that John was inspired of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Herod said this because of what had happened before. Because he had had Juan caught and had him imprisoned in-chains due to Juan’s having admonished/advised him. Because Herod, he had married his sister-in-law Herodias who was his younger-sibling Felipe’s wife. And Juan had repeatedly said that it was against the law that he marry her.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Herodes spoke like that because in the past, he had been the one who had caused Juan to be arrested, bound and imprisoned because of Herodias who was the wife of Felipe who was the brother of that Herodes.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “In the days now gone by, this Herod ordered John to be arrested, chained and jailed. He got after him, because John had said to Herod that it was bad for him to live with his sister-in-law Herodias who had been the wife of his brother Philip.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Philip (first husband of Herodias)

The name that is transliterated as “Hymenaeus” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “friend of horses” (the meaning of the name) and a pointer to him being in the lineage of Herod the Great. (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Hymenaeus” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .