Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 1:23:
Uma: “Those two things are tugging-back-and-forth my heart. I very much want to leave this world and go stay with Kristus, because that is better.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “I have difficulty thinking. I want to die so that I will soon get to Isa Almasi for that is much better.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I don’t know which of the two is good for me to choose, because I want that my life here on the earth be ended so that I might be with Christ, because that is much better. However, if there is still something for me to do that is of any value, that’s good also.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “because it’s true that these two produce-dizziness/confusion in my thinking. Because I want very-much that I might leave this earth to go stay-with Cristo, because that is far better.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For it’s like my mind/thinking is back-and-forth. Because I would like to die now so that I can then be with Cristo, for that’s much better than this life I’m living now.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “I do not know which of these two words I want to choose. It seems to me that it is good that I die in order that I will go to live with Christ. Because for me, it is good that I die.” (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.”
The Greek verb translated I am pulled is a vivid word picturing a traveler on a narrow road with walls of rock on both sides, unable to turn either way. One can readily imagine the kind of pressure suggested by this verb. Though Good News Translation changes the image from one of pressure or of being hemmed in to one of being torn apart, it still correctly represents the dilemma involved. The same verb is translated in Luke 12.50 as “distressed” (cf. Luke 19.43 “your enemies … close in on you from every side”). In two directions translates “from the two.” A number of picturesque expressions are used to translate this verb, for example, “I am hemmed in on both sides” (Knox); “I am torn in two directions” (Phillips); “I am caught in this dilemma” (Jerusalem Bible). Other possible renderings are “I do not know what direction to turn,” or “I want to go in two directions at once.”
Paul proceeds to give his personal preference with a participial phrase, literally “having the desire to depart and be with Christ.” Good News Translation changes this to a finite statement, I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ. The Greek word translated “desire” is sometimes used in the bad sense of “lust,” “passion,” or “covetousness.” Here it is used in the sense of “strong desire” (Moffatt cf. Bruce “great desire”), and it is given a verbal form, I want very much.
The verb translated to leave this life occurs elsewhere only in Luke 12.36. It may have a military sense of breaking up an encampment or a nautical sense of releasing a vessel from its moorings. It is often used as a euphemism for death.
To leave this life and to … be with Christ are closely connected. These two infinitives have only one article in the Greek. Apparently Paul is thinking of an immediate union with Christ directly after death (cf. 2 Cor 5.6, 8; Luke 23.43). Elsewhere Paul describes death as sleep from which the believers will arise to be with Christ at his return (cf. 1 Cor 15.51-52; 1 Thes 4.13-17).
It is seldom possible to translate literally to leave this life. A more satisfactory rendering is normally “to die,” though in some languages it may prove more satisfactory to translate “to not continue to live.”
There is a subtle problem involved in rendering the phrase be with Christ. Since this is associated with a previous expression for dying, readers might assume that what is meant is that Paul wishes to die and thus be with Christ in the state of death. To avoid this implication, it may be necessary to translate “I want very much to stop living here in this world, and to live with Christ.”
A far better thing is a triple comparative used by Paul to express the superior excellence of being with Christ, literally “much rather better” (Knox “a better thing, much more than a better thing”). Which is a far better thing must be clearly specified in some languages as being related directly to Paul’s experience, for example, “this would be far better for me,” or “which would be to my advantage.”
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 .
Paul was not thinking about killing himself in this verse. He was not the one who would decide whether he lived or died. God would decide that. Even the Roman court could only put Paul to death if God permitted it. But Paul had time in prison to think about dying, and here he expressed his deepest feelings about how he loved Christ and wanted to be with him.
I am torn between the two: A literal translation of the Greek is “I am constricted/enclosed by the two.” This means that it was hard for Paul to know which of these two things he preferred. The Berean Standard Bible has used an equivalent English idiom to translate this meaning. Another similar idiom is “I am pulled in two directions.” Some languages have idioms with this same meaning, but if you do not have such an idiom, it may be better to say simply:
It is hard for me to choose -or-
I don’t know which would be better.
1:23b
I desire to depart: This means “I want to leave this life,” that is, to die. Paul felt that it would be wonderful if he could die and be with Jesus as a result of his trial in the Roman court. There may be some appropriate idiom in your language such as “I want to leave this life.” Or you may need to say simply “I wish to die.” However, make sure that your translation does not imply that Paul was discouraged and tired of living. He was not. He was happy to continue living and serving Christ (as 1:24 makes clear). But he would be even happier to go and be with Christ in heaven.
and be with Christ: Paul wanted to die in order to go and live with Christ in heaven. In some languages it may be necessary to avoid implying that Christ is dead. If when you test your translation, you discover that people think that Paul meant Christ was dead, you could say:
so that I can go and live with Christ in heaven
which is far better indeed: The phrase far better indeed shows how deeply Paul felt about this. If in your language you must make explicit what Paul considers dying to be better than, then you could translate it as “much better ⌊than continuing to live on earth⌋.” If your language does not use comparative expressions like “better” or “better than,” you could perhaps translate this as “which would be extremely good.”
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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