The name that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying “woodworker” (referring to Mark 6:3). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 21:4:
Uma: “That happened so that it would be fulfilled what the prophet long ago said like this:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “This happened so that the words of the prophet in the holy-book were fulfilled, it says,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason this which Jesus was speaking about was taking place is because the prophesy of the inspired one of God long ago is being fulfilled. He said,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “These things happened so that what God caused-the prophet -to-say would be fulfilled saying,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “This came about like this so that what was said by the prophet in the past would be fulfilled, which said,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “This he did so that it would happen according to the word spoken by the spokesman for God who said:” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Mary” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with arms folded over chest which is the typical pose of Mary in statues and artwork. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign for the letter M and the sign for “virgin,” which could also be interpreted as “head covering,” referring to the way that Mary is usually portrayed in art works. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Mary” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In some Semitic languages, the transliteration for “Mary” is identical to the one for the prophetess “Miriam,” testifying to the fact that these names are identical (Arabic and the many translations that are reliant on Arabic: مَرْيَم, Hebrew: מִרְיָם, Ge’ez / Amharic and related languages: ማርያም).
Eugene Nida wrote the following about the translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are typically translated with “prophet” in English:
“The tendency in many translations is to use ‘to foretell the future’ for ‘prophesy,’ and ‘one who foretells the future’ for ‘prophet.’ This is not always a recommended usage, particularly if such expressions denote certain special native practices of spirit contact and control. It is true, of course, that prophets of the Bible did foretell the future, but this was not always their principal function. One essential significance of the Greek word prophētēs is ‘one who speaks forth,’ principally, of course, as a forth-teller of the Divine will. A translation such as ‘spokesman for God’ may often be employed profitably.” (1947, p. 234f.)
Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap for details):
Ayutla Mixtec: “one who talks as God’s representative”
Isthmus Mixe: “speaker for God” (source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Mezquital Otomi / Paasaal: “God’s messenger” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff. and Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
Noongar: Warda Marridjiny or “News Traveling” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Kutu: mtula ndagu or “one who gives the prediction of the past and the future” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ebira: ọnịsẹ, a neologism that combines the prefix ọn for “a person” with ịsẹ for “prediction” (source: Scholz /Scholz 2015, p. 49)
French 1985 translation by Chouraqui: inspiré or “inspired one” (“someone in whom God has breathed [Latin: in + spiro]) (source: Watson 2023, p. 45)
In Ixcatlán Mazatec a term is used that specifically includes women. (Source: Robert Bascom)
“In some instances these spiritual terms result from adaptations reflecting the native life and culture. Among the Northern Grebo people of Liberia, a missionary wanted some adequate term for ‘prophet,’ and she was fully aware that the native word for ‘soothsayer’ or ‘diviner’ was no equivalent for the Biblical prophet who spoke forth for God. Of course, much of what the prophets said referred to the future, and though this was an essential part of much of their ministry, it was by no means all. The right word for the Gbeapo people would have to include something which would not only mean the foretelling of important events but the proclamation of truth as God’s representative among the people. At last the right word came; it was ‘God’s town-crier.’ Every morning and evening the official representative of the chief goes through the village crying out the news, delivering the orders of the chief, and announcing important coming events. ‘God’s town-crier’ would be the official representative of God, announcing to the people God’s doings, His commands, and His pronouncements for their salvation and well-being. For the Northern Grebo people the prophet is no weird person from forgotten times; he is as real as the human, moving message of the plowman Amos, who became God’s town-crier to a calloused people.” (source: Nida 1952, p. 20)
In British Sign Language it is is translated with a sign that depicts a message coming from God to a person (the upright finger) and then being passed on to others. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Prophet” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
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®).
This verse repeats 1.22 word for word, except that here This substitutes for “All this” of the earlier introductory formula, and “the Lord” is not explicit here. It is implicit, however, and translators can use the same expression here as they did there.
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 .
So: Verse 2:14 is the result of the angel’s command in 2:13. The angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt (2:13c–e). So Joseph did what the angel told him to do (2:14).
Here are some ways to begin this verse:
• Use a word or phrase that indicates that 2:14 is the result of 2:13, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
• Use a word or phrase that indicates that 2:14 is the next event in the story. For example:
Then (NET Bible)
Some English versions do not begin this verse with a connecting word. You should begin this verse in a way that is natural in your language.
he got up: Joseph probably arose immediately after the dream.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
he rose ⌊immediately⌋
-or-
he ⌊quickly⌋ rose
took the Child and His mother: The phrase His mother refers to the child’s mother. It does not refer to Joseph’s mother.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
went with the child and his mother
-or-
left with his wife and the child
by night: The phrase by night indicates that they left the same night. For example:
that night (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
on that very night
withdrew to Egypt:
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
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