teach

The Greek that is translated as a form of “teach” is translated with some figurative phrases such as “to engrave the mind” (Ngäbere) or “to cause others to imitate” (Huichol). (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Noongar it is translated as karni-waangki or “truth saying” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

fornication, sexual immorality

The Greek that is translated as “sexual immorality” or “fornication” or similar is translated much more specifically in some languages. Morelos Nahuatl has “let a man not yield himself to another woman except only to his wife. Also let a woman not yield herself to another man except only to her husband” or in Lalana Chinantec as “not proper for them to mix themselves with other women. The same is true of women for other men also.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Low German as Hurenkram or “things related to prostitution (and/or sleeping around)” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) typically as Sexgier or “sex cravings” (exceptions: Acts 15:10 and 15:29).

See also sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery and adulterous and sinful generation.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Sexual Immorality (Word Study) .

idol / idols

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )

In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”

Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)

See also worthless idols.

Jezebel

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Jezebel” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign depicting “striking serpent” representing her deceitfulness. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jezebel” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jezebel and Jezebel from an African-American Perspective ..

complete verse (Revelation 2:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 2:20:

  • Uma: “But there is nonetheless something that I reprimand/am-surprised-at you for. Because that woman who is named Isebel, who says she is a prophet, you let her teach my followers. She teaches them to do wrong with young women and other people’s wives, and she teaches them to eat food that has been offered in worship to idols. Many of my slaves she has deceived with her teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But there is something that I find fault with in you: There is a woman there among you called Jesebel who pretends to be a prophet spreading God’s message. You simply/just let her/allow her to teach my servants but because of her teaching they are fooled/deceived already therefore they are influenced to commit fornication/adultery and to eat food that has been offered to idols.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But in spite of that, there is something you are doing that I do not like. Because as for that woman Jezebel who says that she is a prophet of God, you permit her to teach her bad practise to My servants. She says that it is not a transgression toward God to have sex relations with someone other than your spouse or to eat the sacrifice to false gods.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “”But there is nonetheless that which I dislike-about your way-of-life, because you have-been-permitting that woman Jezebel to be joined to you. She says that she is God’s spokesman, but because of what she is teaching, she is persuading those who are serving me to sleep-with those who are not their spouses and to eat food that has been offered to idols.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But this is what I hate/am-angry-at, why Jezebel is permitted by you, that woman who says she is sent by God, whereas she isn’t. Through her teaching she is really misleading the ones who serve me there. She is causing them to fall (fig.) by their doing what is disgusting with those who are not their spouses, and even daring/urging them to eat foods which are used in sacrificing to pretend gods.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But I have a word against you. Because you give the road to Jezebel in regard to the word she teaches. This woman says that God puts into her mind the word she speaks, but it is not true. Because I know that she deceives the people who believe in me. She says that it is permissible to fornicate and it is permissible to eat the meat offered to idols.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

prophet

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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):

  • San Blas Kuna: “one who speaks the voice of God”
  • Central Pame and Vai: “interpreter for God”
  • Kaqchikel, Navajo (Dinė), Yaka: “one who speaks for God”
  • Northern Grebo: “God’s town crier” (see more about this below)
  • Sapo: “God’s sent-word person”
  • Shipibo-Conibo, Ngäbere: “one who speaks God’s word”
  • Copainalá Zoque: “one who speaks-opens” (a compound meaning “one who discloses or reveals”)
  • Sierra Totonac: “one who causes them to know” (in the sense of “revealer”)
  • Batak Toba: “foreteller” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1961, p. 7)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “one who is inspired of God” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Alekano: “the true man who descended from heaven” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
  • Aguaruna: “teller of God’s word” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
  • Ekari: “person who speaks under divine impulse”
  • Mandarin Chinese: 先知 xiānzhī — “one who foreknows” (or the 1946/1970 translation by Lü Zhenzhong: 神言人 shényánrén — “divine-word-man”)
  • Uab Meto: “holy spokesman” (source for this and two above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Kouya: Lagɔɔ gbʋgbanyɔ — “the one who seeks God’s affairs” (source: Saunders, p. 269)
  • Kafa: “decide for God only” (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “word passer” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Obolo: ebi nriran: “one with power of divine revelation” (source: Enene Enene)
  • Mairasi: nonondoai nyan: “message proclaimer” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Highland Totonac: “speaker on God’s behalf”
  • Central Tarahumara: “God’s preacher” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Coatlán Mixe: “God’s word-thrower”
  • 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)

About the translation into Northern Grebo:

“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 American Sign Language it is a person who sees into the future:


“Prophet” in American Sign Language (source )

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)

See also prophesy and prophesy / prophetic frenzy.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: How to Recognize a Biblical Prophet .

See also seer.

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Revelation 2:20

After the praise comes censure.

I have this against you : see 2.4.

You tolerate the woman Jezebel: the Greek verb translated tolerate is different from the verb used in 2.2 “(cannot) bear.” The meaning can be expressed positively, “you allow,” “you permit,” or negatively, “you do not forbid,” “you do not put a stop to,” “you do not prevent.” Jezebel in the Old Testament was the Sidonian princess who was the wife of King Ahab of Israel, and who tried to impose Baal worship on the Israelites (1 Kgs 16.29-31; 18.4, 19; 2 Kgs 9.22). Although it is possible that Jezebel was a woman in the church at Thyatira, it seems more probable that the name is used symbolically of this woman leader who was trying to replace the true worship of God by pagan rites and beliefs. Some translations in English indicate that this is a symbolic name by translating “that Jezebel of a woman” (Moffatt, An American Translation, Barclay), a rather unusual idiom in English, but in context quite understandable to native readers. It is recommended, however, that the translation be quite literal, the woman Jezebel.

Calls herself a prophetess: as in the case of the false apostles (2.2), who were not what they claimed to be, this woman claimed that her teaching was an authentic message from God—but it was not. So the translation can say “who falsely says she is a prophet,” “who lies when she says that her message comes from God.” The feminine form of the Greek word “prophet” is used here and in Luke 2.36 (Anna). In English it is becoming the practice to use the same word, where possible, for both men and women; so New Revised Standard Version “who calls herself a prophet.” There were Christian leaders in the early Church who were called “prophets.” In translation the same word should be used of them as is used of Old Testament prophets.

Is teaching and beguiling my servants: to “beguile” is to mislead, deceive, lead astray, seduce. In certain languages it will be expressed as “cause to stray from the path” or “lead away from the true path.” The participle of the verb is used as a title, “the deceiver,” which is applied to Satan and his subordinates (12.9; 13.14; 19.20; 20.3, 8, 10). Here my servants means all believers, or it may be expressed as “all those who believe in me” or “all my followers” (see 1.1). The two verbs teaching and beguiling may be joined, “by means of her teaching she deceives (or, misleads) my servants.”

To practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols: the same evil conduct was being promoted by the Nicolaitans (see 2.14-15).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .