betray

The Greek that is translated as “betray” in English does not have an immediately corresponding term in Tado. The term that was chosen there was “sell.” (Source: Budy Karmoy in this blog post )

complete verse (Matthew 24:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 24:10:

  • Uma: “Many people will retreat from following me. Some will give their companions to their enemies. Many people will hate each other.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “In that day many will no longer follow me. They will betray their companions and hate their companions.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “At that time many will be successfully tempted. And each one will hand his companion believer over to be killed, and everyone will be against everybody else.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “At that time, many will turn-their-backs-on their faith in me, and they will betray and hate their fellows.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “At that time, many will be those who will drop/give-up their belief-in/obeying-of me and be-engaged-in-conflict. People will-betray-to-death their fellowman.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Many people will separate from their faith. They will even go against their fellow believers and betray them.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 24:10

Many has sometimes been translated as “many of you” or even “many of my followers.” But “many people” is also acceptable.

Fall away, as the RSV footnote indicates, is literally “stumble”; this is one of Matthew’s favorite terms, used fourteen times throughout the Gospel (see comment at 5.29). Good News Translation translates it “give up their faith.” Similar translations are “will stop believing in me” or “give up being my followers.”

Betray represents the same verb translated “deliver … up” in verse 9. Significantly, this is the verb that is used consistently of Jesus’ own betrayal. Matthew is thereby saying that the disciples must share the same fate as their Lord. In this verse it may be translated literally as “betray,” or it may be expressed as “turn each other over to the authorities.”

Hate is used in a similar context in 10.22.

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 .