Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)
Yo estoy aquí en la cárcel porque predicaba y anunciaba el evangelio y tú no puedes venir a ayudarme, entonces en tu lugar, mejor que Onésimo me ayude y apoye.
Yo quisiera que se quide aqui y sea útil, pero yo no puedo (decidirlo), porque tú no me has dado ningun permiso y por eso Onésimo regresa a tí para que estén juntos.
Yo no quiero insistir, sólo quiero que sea (tu decisión) voluntaria, porque Onésimo se fue y ahora, después de un tiempo, van a estar juntos otra vez para siempre.
No continues a tenerlo como esclavo, pero sean como hermanos cariñosos. Yo tengo mucho cariño para Onésimo, pero como ustedes han estado juntos mucho, tú tienes más cariño para él.
I am here in prison because I preached the gospel, and you cannot come to help me, so Onesimus can help and support me on your behalf.
I would like him to stay here and be useful, but I cannot (make that decision) because you haven’t given me any permission, and because of that Onesimus returns to be together with you.
I don’t want to insist, I want it to be a voluntary (decision), because Onesimus left you and now, after some time has passed, you are going to be together again forever.
He shouldn’t continue as your slave, you should be together as dear brothers. I love Onesimus, but as you have been together a lot, you have even more love for him.
The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)
In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Philemon 1:16:
Uma: “So, you no longer consider him as just your slave [a statement, but with the force of a suggestion]. More than that, he is your relative of one-faith whom you love. Me, I love him, how much more so will you. You will love him because he is your fellow man, and you will love him because he is your relative in the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Formerly he was only your slave/servant but now he is more/higher than a slave because/for he is already our (incl.) beloved brother because we (incl.) equally trust in Isa Almasi. I, I really love him but you, your love for him is greater because he is your slave and your brother also because he now trusts in Isa the Leader.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And now he is not just your slave, rather he is much more dear than a slave for he is also your brother because of his faith in Christ. He is very dear to my breath, and he is also dear to you. Not just because he is your slave, but rather because he is also your brother because of the Lord.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But starting-from now, your (sing.) view of him should not be as a mere slave but rather as more-valuable than a slave. For now, he is one of our much-loved brothers. Large is my love for him, but you-greatly-love (him) even-more, not just because of the kind-of-person he is (lit. his personhood) but since he is your (sing.) brother because of your (incl.) being-united-with the Lord Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And now, he is not just your slave but rather your dear sibling in believing. He really is extremely dear to me, but this holding-dear of mine (for him), of course your holding-dear is even greater because he is your slave and your sibling now in believing/obeying the Lord.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “This worker of yours, nevermore regard him like people regard their workers. Rather consider that he has become as though he were your brother. I very much love this Onesimus, but even more you must love him. Because he is not now merely your worker, rather he is your brother in that you both believe in the same Lord now.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The following is a translation for a performance of the book of Philemon in Papiamento and its English translation. The translation is interspersed with a provocative fictional response by the historical character of Tula, the Curaçaoan revolt leader of 1795, juxtaposing the subtle liberating message of Paul with a revolutionary approach. This is followed by a video showing the performance:
1 Esaki ta karta
1 This is [a] letter
di Pablo,
from Paul,
i di ruman Timoteo,
From sibling Timothy
Pablo prezu pa kousa di Kristu-Hesus;
Paul imprisoned for the cause of Christ-Jesus
ta pa Filemon, kompañer’i trabou,
it is for Philemon, fellow of work
2 ta pa Iglesia, reuní na su kas.
2 It is for the church, gathered at his house
Karta tambe pa Apfia, nos ruman muhé,
Letter also to Apphia, our sibling female
Karta tambe pa Argipo, kompañer’i lucha.
Letter also for Archippus fellow of fight
Click or tap here to see the rest of this translation as well as the video performance
3 Dios nos Tata, duna boso
3 God the Father give you
Señor Hesu-Kristu duna boso
Lord Jesus-Christ give you
grasia i pas.
grace and peace
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Lesa mi ta lesa den karta sagrado
Read I do read in holy letter
Ta ku masha kachèt mester kumindá bo
(that) with lots of respect you have to be greeted
Pa kombensébo ku hende ta util
(so as to) convince you that (a) human being is useful
Hende ta mas k’util.
(A) Human being is more than useful
4 Mi Dios mi ta gradisí,
4 My God I do thank
Ora mi kòrdabo den mi orashon,
When I remember you in my prayer
5 pasobra hopi fe den Señor Hesus bo tin
because lots of faith in (the) Lord Jesus you have
Segun mi a tende,
From what I hear
Stimashon pa Dios su pueblo bo tin.
Love for God his people you have.
6 Mi ta resa, pa e fe
I pray for the faith
ku bo ta kompartí ku otro kreyente,
that you share with other believers,
hiba na komprondementu berdadero di tur kos bon
lead to understanding true of all good things
ku pa Kristu nos por hasi.
that for Christ we can do
7 Mi ruman, bo amor
7 My sibling, your love
a hasi mi mashá kontentu
has made me very happy
kurashá mi hopi,
encouraged me a lot
pasobra el a sirbi pa animá kurason di e rumannan.
Because he has to animate (the) heart of the siblings.
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Ta trasta mester trasta ku bo
Flatter has to flatter you
Hunta stropi na bo boka
Put honey at your mouth
Pa por bisa bo ku bo ta mal robes
So as to say that you are badly wrong
Pa por bisa bo ku bo ta mal brua
So as to say that you are badly confused
8 P’esei derecho mi tin di bisa bo kiko hasi,
8 That is why with what right I have to tell you what to do,
Ora mi apelá na Kristu.
When I appeal to Christ.
9 Tòg a base di amor,
9 Though on (the) basis of love,
un petishon mi ta preferá hasi na bo.
A petition I prefer to do to you.
Ami, Pablo un hòmber bieu kaba,
I, Paul a man old already
asta prezu awor pa kousa di Kristu
even imprisoned now for (the) cause of Christ
10 Mi ke pidi bo pa mi yu Onésimo;
10 I want to ask you for my son Onesimus;
ta den prisón mi a bira su tata spiritual.
it is in prison that I have become his spiritual father.
11 Un tempu e no tabata sirbi bo pa nada,
11 A time he was not useful for anything
pero awor el a bira útil pa nos tur dos,
but now he has become useful to two of us,
manera su nòmber mes ta nifiká.
just as his name means.
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Pachi7 Pablo pone preshon
Old man Paul put pressure
Pachi Pablo no papia ko’I kèns
Old man Paul do not speak foolishness
Ku trabou’i katibu n’ ta bal nada
(to say) that work of slave is not worth anything
Ku mi t’ei djis pa ta “util.”
That I am (exist) just to be “useful”
12 Mi ta mand’é bèk pa bo;
12 I am sending him back to you
ta manera mi kurason mes
as if my heart itself
mi ta ranka saka manda pa bo!
I rip out and send to you!
13 Gana di ten’é serka mi, mi tin
13 Desire to have him with me, I have
pa e por a yuda mi na bo lugá,
so that he can help me in your place
tanten mi ta prezu pa kousa di e bon notisia.
while I am imprisoned for the cause of the good news.
14 Sinembargo mi no ke hasi nada sin bo aprobashon,
14 Although I do not want to do anything without your approval
pa bo no haña bo ta hasi un bondat fòrsá,
so you will not find yourself doing a good, forced,
ma dje manera akí bo por hasié di bo mes boluntat.
but in this way you can do it from your own will.
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Ai malai ai malai ei
(lamentation sound)
Ai malai ai malai ei
(lamentation sound)
Si bo tabata konosé doló di katibu
If you do not know (the) pain of slave(s)
Pablito lo bo no a saka bo shiri shiri,
(Dear) Paul (diminutive)
you would not have to take out your guts,
Bo yu sin doló, mand’é bèk.
your child-without-pain to send him back.
15 Por ta mashá bon:
15 Could be very well:
pa un tempu el a alehá for di bo,
For a time he has gone away from you,
djis pa bo hañ’é bèk pa semper.
Just so you can find him back for ever.
16 Pasobra awor e no ta djis un simpel katibu:
16 Because now he is not just a simple slave:
mas ku un katibu e ta un ruman stimá.
More than a slave he is a beloved sibling.
Anto spesialmente pa mi, e ta mashá stimá!
And especially for me, he is very well loved.
Pero pa abo: mas stimá ainda, komo katibu i komo ruman den Señor.
And for you more: more loved, as a slave/servant and as sibling in (the) Lord.
17 Ke men si bo tin mi pa kompañero,
17 That is to say if you have me for (a) collaborator,
risibí Onésimo manera lo bo a risibí mi mes.
receive Onesimus as you would have received me.
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Di Adam ku Eva nos ta bini.
From Adam and Eva we come
Boso Buki mes ta bisa.
Your Book itself says it
Si nos tur ta bin di tera,
If we all can come from the earth
T’un lokura abusá di esun
It is a madness to abuse
ku ta puluwé den tera.
the one who plows the earth.
18 Si el a perhudiká bo den ki forma ku ta
18 If he has damaged you in whatever manner
òf si e ta debe bo algu,
or if he owes you something
laga esei pa mi kuenta.
leave that for to my account.
19 Awor mi mes man ta skibi esaki:
19 Now my own hand writes this:
‘Ami, Pablo, ta paga bo bèk!’
“I, Paul, will pay you back!”
Mi n’ tin nodi’ kòrda bo ku bo debe serka mi ta bo mes!
There is no need for me to remind me that your debt with me is yourself!
20 Sí, mi ruman, hasi mi e fabor akí pa Señor;
20 Yes, my sibling, do this favor for me for (the) Lord;
animá mi kurason komo ruman den Kristu!
animate my heart as sibling in Christ!
Filemon, Filemon,
Philemon, Philemon
Skucha bon Filemon
Listen good, Philemon
Bo n’ tende anto Filemon
Have you not heard (then) Philemon
The Hebrew adonai in the Old Testament typically refers to God. The shorter adon (and in two cases in the book of Daniel the Aramaic mare [מָרֵא]) is also used to refer to God but more often for concepts like “master,” “owner,” etc. In English Bible translations all of those are translated with “Lord” if they refer to God.
In English Old Testament translations, as in Old Testament translations in many other languages, the use of Lord (or an equivalent term in other languages) is not to be confused with Lord (or the equivalent term with a different typographical display for other languages). While the former translates adonai, adon and mare, the latter is a translation for the tetragrammaton (YHWH) or the Name of God. See tetragrammaton (YHWH) and the article by Andy Warren-Rothlin in Noss / Houser, p. 618ff. for more information.
In the New Testament, the Greek term kurios has at least four different kinds of use:
referring to “God,” especially in Old Testament quotations,
meaning “master” or “owner,” especially in parables, etc.,
as a form of address (see for instance John 4:11: “Sir, you have no bucket”),
or, most often, referring to Jesus
In the first and fourth case, it is also translated as “Lord” in English.
Most languages naturally don’t have one word that covers all these meanings. According to Bratcher / Nida, “the alternatives are usually (1) a term which is an honorific title of respect for a high-ranking person and (2) a word meaning ‘boss’, ‘master’, or ‘chief.’ (…) and on the whole it has generally seemed better to employ a word of the second category, in order to emphasize the immediate personal relationship, and then by context to build into the word the prestigeful character, since its very association with Jesus Christ will tend to accomplish this purpose.”
When looking at the following list of back-translations of the terms that translators in the different languages have used for both kurios and adonai to refer to God and Jesus respectively, it might be helpful for English readers to recall the etymology of the English “Lord.” While this term might have gained an exalted meaning in the understanding of many, it actually comes from hlaford or “loaf-ward,” referring to the lord of the castle who was the keeper of the bread (source: Rosin 1956, p. 121).
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight
Following are some of the solutions that don’t rely on a different typographical display (see above):
Iyansi: Mwol. Mwol is traditionally used for the “chief of a group of communities and villages” with legal, temporal, and spiritual authority (versus the “mfum [the term used in other Bantu languages] which is used for the chief of one community of people in one village”). Mwol is also used for twins who are “treated as special children, highly honored, and taken care of like kings and queens.” (Source: Kividi Kikama in Greed / Kruger, p. 396ff.)
Binumarien: Karaambaia: “fight-leader” (Source: Oates 1995, p. 255)
Warlpiri: Warlaljamarri (owner or possessor of something — for more information tap or click here)
We have come to rely on another term which emphasizes God’s essential nature as YHWH, namely jukurrarnu (see tetragrammaton (YHWH)). This word is built on the same root jukurr– as is jukurrpa, ‘dreaming.’ Its basic meaning is ‘timelessness’ and it is used to describe physical features of the land which are viewed as always being there. Some speakers view jukurrarnu in terms of ‘history.’ In all Genesis references to YHWH we have used Kaatu Jukurrarnu. In all Mark passages where kurios refers to God and not specifically to Christ we have also used Kaatu Jukurrarnu.
New Testament references to Christ as kurios are handled differently. At one stage we experimented with the term Watirirririrri which refers to a ceremonial boss of highest rank who has the authority to instigate ceremonies. While adequately conveying the sense of Christ’s authority, there remained potential negative connotations relating to Warlpiri ceremonial life of which we might be unaware.
Here it is that the Holy Spirit led us to make a chance discovery. Transcribing the personal testimony of the local Warlpiri pastor, I noticed that he described how ‘my Warlaljamarri called and embraced me (to the faith)’. Warlaljamarri is based on the root warlalja which means variously ‘family, possessions, belongingness’. A warlaljamarri is the ‘owner’ or ‘possessor’ of something. While previously being aware of the ‘ownership’ aspect of warlaljamarri, this was the first time I had heard it applied spontaneously and naturally in a fashion which did justice to the entire concept of ‘Lordship’. Thus references to Christ as kurios are now being handled by Warlaljamarri.” (Source: Stephen Swartz, The Bible Translator 1985, p. 415ff. )
Mairasi: Onggoao Nem (“Throated One” — “Leader,” “Elder”) or Enggavot Nan (“Above-One”) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Obolo: Okaan̄-ene (“Owner of person(s)”) (source: Enene Enene)
Lotha Naga: Opvui (“owner of house / field / cattle”) — since both “Lord” and YHWH are translated as Opvui there is an understanding that “Opvui Jesus is the same as the Opvui of the Old Testament”
Seediq: Tholang, loan word from Min Nan Chinese (the majority language in Taiwan) thâu-lâng (頭儂): “Master” (source: Covell 1998, p. 248)
Thai: phra’ phu pen cao (พระผู้เป็นเจ้า) (divine person who is lord) or ong(kh) cao nay (องค์เจ้านาย) (<divine classifier>-lord-boss) (source: Stephen Pattemore)
Arabic often uses different terms for adonai or kurios referring to God (al-rabb الرب) and kurios referring to Jesus (al-sayyid الـسـيـد). Al-rabb is also the term traditionally used in Arabic Christian-idiom translations for YHWH, and al-sayyid is an honorary term, similar to English “lord” or “sir” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).
Tamil also uses different terms for adonai/kurios when referring to God and kurios when referring to Jesus. The former is Karttar கர்த்தர், a Sanskrit-derived term with the original meaning of “creator,” and the latter in Āṇṭavar ஆண்டவர், a Tamil term originally meaning “govern” or “reign” (source: Natarajan Subramani).
Burunge: Looimoo: “owner who owns everything” (in the Burunge Bible translation, this term is only used as a reference to Jesus and was originally used to refer to the traditional highest deity — source: Michael Endl in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 48)
Yagaria: Souve, originally “war lord” (source: Renck, p. 94)
Aguacateco: Ajcaw ske’j: “the one to whom we belong and who is above us” (source: Rita Peterson in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 49)
Konkomba: Tidindaan: “He who is the owner of the land and reigns over the people” (source: Lidorio 2007, p. 66)
Chichewa: AmbuyeAmbuye comes from the singular form Mbuye which is used to refer to: (1) someone who is a guardian or protector of someone or group of people — a grandparent who has founded a community or village; (2) someone who is a boss or master over a group of people or servants and has absolute control over them; (3) owner of something, be it a property, animals and people who are bound under his/her rule — for people this was mostly commonly used in the context of slaves and their owner. In short, Mbuye is someone who has some authorities over those who call him/her their “Mbuye.” Now, when the form Ambuye is used it will either be for honorific when used for singular or plural when referring to more than one person. When this term is used in reference to God, it is for respect to God as he is acknowledged as a guardian, protector, and ruler of everything. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation).
Hdi uses rveri (“lion”) as a title of respect and as such it regularly translates adon in the Old Testament. As an address, it’s most often with a possessive pronoun as in rvera ɗa (“my lion” = “my lord” or “sir”). So, for example, Genesis 15:2 (“O Lord God”) is Rvera ɗa Yawe (“My lion Yahweh”) or Ruth to Boaz in Ruth 2:13: “May I find your grace [lit. good-stomach] my lion.” This ties in nicely with the imagery of the Lord roaring like a lion (Hosea 11:10; Amos 3:8; Joel 3:16). Better still, this makes passages like Revelation 5:5 even richer when we read about rveri ma taba məndəra la Yuda, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah”. In Revelation 19:16, Jesus is rveri ta ghəŋa rveriha “the lion above lions” (“lord of lords”). (Source: Drew Maust)
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew adonai was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments: “Another case is the use of kurios referring to Jesus. For Yahweh (in English Bibles: ‘the Lord‘), the Septuagint uses kurios. Although the term kurios usually has to do with one’s authority over others, when the New Testament authors use this word from the Septuagint to refer to Jesus, they are making an extraordinary claim: Jesus of Nazareth is to be identified with Yahweh.”
This verse continues from verse 15 as the completion of the sentence, “so that you might have him back for ever, (16) no longer as a slave but…” (as Revised Standard Version has done). It should be noticed that if the Revised Standard Version translation is taken literally, it means that Paul is telling Philemon that Onesimus is to be in deed and in fact a free man. But this does not seem to be what Paul means, and Lohse quotes with approval the comment of H. von Soden that the particle as “expresses the subjective evaluation of the relationship without calling its objective form into question … and therefore the line of thought found in 1 Cor 7.20-24 is not exceeded.” Good News Translation has tried to indicate this by and now he is not just a slave (compare Phillips “not merely as a slave”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “So now he is for you much more than a slave, that is, a beloved brother”).
The negative-positive contrast in the Good News Translationand now he is not just a slave, but much more than a slave may require an inversion in some languages, for example, “and now he is much more than a slave, he is not just a slave” or “… not a slave only.” By placing the positive statement before the negative, the meaning of the entire expression may often be more readily understood.
In some languages a slave is described as “one who must work without pay,” but more often a term for slave refers to “an owned person” or “a person who belongs to someone else.” The first part of verse 16 may, therefore, be rendered as “and now he is much more than just a person whom you own.”
A dear brother in Christ: Onesimus is now Philemon’s Christian brother, and it is this fact which must determine their relationship from now on. A dear brother in Christ may be equivalent to “a dear fellow believer in Christ,” or “a fellow believer in Christ who is dear to you,” or “a Christian fellow believer dear to you.”
The second part of the verse could be translated, “he means so much to me, but he will mean much more to you…”; compare New International Version “He is very dear to me but even dearer to you…” In a number of languages, it is far more meaningful to use an intensive expression together with a comparative rather than to employ an exclamation, for example, “he means very much to me, and he will mean even more to you.” To express the concept involved in the verb mean, it may be useful to speak of “value,” for example, “he is so valuable to me, but he will be even more valuable to you.”
Both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord translates what is literally “both in the flesh and in the Lord” (so Revised Standard Version). The Greek “in the flesh” means Onesimus’ natural status as a slave; he is still a slave (compare Lohse), but now he is also a dear Christian brother, which is something altogether new for Philemon. The translation should reflect the fact that nowhere in this letter does Paul tell Philemon, in so many words, to set Onesimus free, nor does he take it for granted that Philemon will do so. Rather he seems to take it for granted that Onesimus will continue to be Philemon’s slave, even though their relationship is now transformed by the fact that Onesimus is a Christian. (in verse 21, however, Paul may be hinting that he hopes that Philemon will set Onesimus free.) Lightfoot quotes Meyer on this double relationship “in the flesh and in the latter, he had the slave for a brother.” Their relation as Christian brothers transcendent and transformed but did not replace their relationship as master and slave.
Both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord may be rendered as “he is your slave and he is also your fellow believer in the Lord.” This expression both as a slave and as a brother in the Lord should be combined with the concept of the value which Onesimus will now constitute for Philemon. The meaning may be expressed in some instances as “very much appreciated both as your slave as well as your fellow believer in the Lord.”
“Your fellow believer in the Lord” may also be rendered as “one who believes in the Lord even as you do.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Philemon. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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®).
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