Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 1:10:
Uma: “If you are like that, relatives, you will really know to choose what is best. I pray that your lives be holy with no faults [lit., with nothing-to-be-criticized-for] on the day of the coming again of Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “so that you can discern/distinguish as to what is the very ultimate best you should do. So-then your livers will be holy/clean and no person can find-fault with you when the day arrives when Isa Almasi comes back here to the world.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “so that you might always know what is light and that you might have it. And then in the future there’ll be nothing to rebuke you with, for you will be holy at the return of Christ (the word ‘holy’ here means pure, unadulterated).” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “so that you will be able to follow what is best. Because if that is so, your behavior/custom will be totally good, and there will be absolutely nothing of which you will be accused on the day when Cristo comes again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “so that you can comprehend what is and is not good, wholly the good being what you will always choose. Well isn’t it so that if it’s like that, on the returning of Cristo, you will be clean in his sight with nothing at all he will find fault with ?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “I want that you will know how to choose what good you should do, in order that no evil will be found in you when Christ comes.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.
When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”
This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.
In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the GermanGute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).
In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:
Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )
In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with a sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):
“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
Paul now goes on to define the purpose of his prayer in verse 9. The same Greek expression translated to choose what is best appears also in Rom 2.18, where Good News Translation renders it as “to choose what is right.” The Greek term here translated to choose is sometimes used in the technical sense of testing coins to determine whether they are genuine. Thus the Good News Translation rendering carries the force of accepting or choosing what is proved to be right or best or essential in religion (MoffattGoodspeed “to have a sense of what is vital”; New Engish Bible footnote “may teach you by experience what things are most worthwhile”). The phrase what is best means literally “things which differ” or “things that excel.” The latter meaning seems to suit the context better. It is a reference to the ability, not so much to distinguish right from wrong or good from bad, but to determine what is best among all that is good.
What is best is a general qualification which it is not always possible to employ. Certainly it is not a reference to particular things or objects, but rather to behavior and experience. It may be necessary to render the first part of verse 10 as “so that you will be able to choose what is best to do,” or “… how you should best behave.”
Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ (literally, “so that you may be pure and blameless with a view to the Day of Christ”) is taken as the result of having the ability to discriminate what is best. The adjective rendered free from all impurity occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in 2 Peter 3.1. It means “unmixed,” “genuine,” or “unadulterated.” It may be rendered in some languages as “not having anything bad about you,” or “without any wrong.” The adjective translated free from … blame can mean either “not causing others to stumble” or “not stumbling.” Paul seems to have in mind the fitness of the Philippians to stand before Christ on the Day of judgment. In this context it is better to adopt the meaning of “blameless.” This concept may be expressed in some languages as “without having done anything for which you could be blamed,” or “without having done what was wrong.”
On the Day of Christ, as in Pp. 1.6, refers to the Parousia, so it is possible to render it more explicitly as “on the Day when Christ comes back.”
Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
so that: The phrase so that shows that 1:10a gives the purpose of Paul’s prayer in 1:9; that is, as the Philippians’ love, knowledge and insight grew, they would be better able to discern what was best.
you may be able to test and prove what is best: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as able to test and prove implies not only that the Philippians would know what was best, but also that they would accept and approve it.
what is best: This refers to things that are truly good, things that are very important and worthwhile. This can include things people do, say and believe. Try to make it clear that the believers are to choose that which is very good.
1:10b
and: At the beginning of 1:10b there is a Greek word hina that means “that” or “in order that.” The Berean Standard Bible translates this word as and. This is a different Greek word than the Greek phrase eis to at the beginning of 1:10a, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “so that.”
There are three basic interpretations as to what ideas the author was relating when he used the Greek connecting word hina here at the beginning of 1:10b:
(1) hina shows the purpose or intended result of the preceding clause. For example:
you will choose what is the right thing to do so that you may be genuinely good and not do anything wrong…” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version)
(2) hina shows another result (besides choosing what is best) of love abounding together with knowledge. (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version)
(3) hina shows another thing Paul prayed for. For example:
I pray that you will know more about what God is really like and will be able to tell the difference between right and wrong, and ⌊I pray⌋ that you may be genuinely good and not do anything wrong…” (New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
pure: The Greek word translated pure means “separate from evil, innocent, free from wrong.”
blameless: The Greek word translated blameless means “without offense or guilt.”
The words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “pure” and blameless have almost the same meaning. Perhaps “pure” may emphasize internal goodness and purity, and blameless may emphasize outward actions. However, in some languages it may not be possible to use two separate words. If this is true in your language, you could use one term and add a word like “completely” to give extra emphasis. So you could translate this part of the verse as “completely pure” or “completely free from evil.”
for: The Greek word eis that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for can have one of two meanings:
(1) Many English translations state that Paul hoped the Philippians would be pure and blameless until Christ returns. These versions tend to use the word “until” or a word with a similar meaning. This also implies that they (and other believers) would continue to be pure and blameless after he returns. (New International Version, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), King James Version)
(2) for/on: Paul hoped that the Philippians would be blameless at the time of Christ’s return. These versions tend to use a word such as “for” or “on”. For example:
you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ (Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
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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