complete verse (Matthew 5:38)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:38:

  • Uma: “‘You know the command long ago that says: ‘If there are people fighting, and one pries/gouges out the eye of the other or pulls out the teeth of the other, pry/gouge his eye out too, and pull out his teeth too.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘You have heard this teaching, it says, ‘If a person destroys the eye of his companion, his eye shall also be destroyed, and if a person knocks out a tooth of his companion, his tooth shall also be knocked out.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You know also that which was taught long ago that if there is a person who inadvertently destroyed the eye of his companion, it can be that his eye also is destroyed. And if there is a person who inadvertently destroyed the tooth of his companion, it can be that his tooth will also be destroyed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘You have also heard what was commanded back-then saying, ‘An eye is the payment of an eye, a tooth for a tooth.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘You (pl.) have also heard this which was said in the law, ‘It is necessary to pass sentence which makes the same. If you (sing.) damaged your companion’s eye, that indeed is to be done to you. If you broke/knocked-out the tooth of someone else, your tooth is to be broken/knocked-out.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “You have heard the word taught to the people in past days, that they were told: ‘Concerning the person who puts out the eye of his fellowman, he also must have his eye put out. Concerning the person who knocks out the teeth of his fellowman, he also must have his teeth knocked out.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “‘It has been said: Restrict revenge, for example, for a gouged-out eye (take) only one eye of the perpetrator, for a knocked-out tooth (take) only one tooth of the perpetrator.'”

For the Old Testament quote, see Exodus 21:24 and Leviticus 24:20.

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