Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:19:
Uma: “Like this the testimony of Yohanes the Baptizer saying who Yesus is. The rulers of the Yahudi people in Yerusalem sent several priests and Lewi people to Yohanes. When they arrived at Yohanes, they asked: ‘The reason we (excl.) have come, is to ask you (sing.) who you (sing.) are. Are you (sing.) really the Redeemer King? ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “One day priests and helpers of the priests who were told-to-do-so by the leaders of the Yahudi in the city Awrusalam went to Yahiya to ask him who he was.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were some people, priests and descendants of Levi, who came to John the Baptist. They were sent by the leaders of the Jews from Jerusalem so that they might ask John who he was.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “On one-occasion, there were priests and descendants of Levi who went to where Juan was. The leaders of the Judio (Jews) in Jerusalem sent them to go inquire of Juan as to who he was.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Once there were some sent by the leaders of the Jews who were taga Jerusalem. The ones they sent were priests and Levita who were their helpers, the workers in the Templo, because they were being caused to ask Juan what he was. This is the testimony of Juan which was his answer to them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The Jews who were leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and their helpers. These went to John to question him about who he was.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “The important people of our nation of Israel in Jerusalem sent some priests to the man named John, along with some other people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of us Israelites. They sent the people to John in order that they might know who he was.”
Alekano: “When the Jews sent priests and those who were servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place, when they went to John and asked him saying, ‘Who are you? Are you the Messiah?’, he told them his own character.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:12:
Alekano: “He showed the way to the ones who loved him so that they could become God’s people. He did that to the ones who believed concerning him.”
Lalana Chinantec: “But there were some who did accept him, who believed on him. They are the ones who were given authority to become the sons of God.”
Uma: “But whoever received him and believed in Him, he gave them authority [lit., seat] to become children of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But whoever receives/received the Word and believes/believed in him, he gives/gave them authority to become children of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, anyone who did receive and believe in him, he gave them the right so that they might become the children of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But there were however some who received (him) who were the ones who believed in him. It was to them that he gave the right to become children of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But there were indeed people who believed-in/obeyed and trusted-in/relied-on him. These ones, he gave them the authority/right to be able to be regarded as children of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But all those who looked favorably upon him and believed that he is the savior were given the permission to become the children of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But whoever received and believed in him he gave the right to become a child of God.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “But they themselves who received Him all received power with the result that they themselves become children Belonging to Above-One, specifically those people who believe His Name:” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “But whoever (pl.) received him and believed in him, they’re the very ones whom he allowed to become God’s children.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “but there are some people who welcomed and entrusted themselves to him. He accepted/allowed those people to become children of God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:9:
Yatzachi Zapotec: “The light of God has arrived in this world, to enter into the hearts of mankind; and it shines for all of them.”
Huehuetla Tepehua: “The one who is the true one, who can give understanding, came here to this earth. He gives understanding to the minds of all men.”
Alekano: “The father of light, who enlightens the people all over, appeared and remained on earth.”
Lalana Chinantec: “The rays of the real Light were beginning to shine, causing the path on which all men walk to become lit.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “That Word, He was the true light that shone on the hearts of all people, He arrived in the world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “This true light, that means the Word, has come here already to the world giving light to the thoughts/minds of all mankind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “At that time Christ arrived here on the earth, that true light. He is the one who illumines the minds of all mankind.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The proper/real light, it was the one who came to the earth to go illuminate (the particle ‘go’ is commonly used with verbs of motion such as ‘come’) the minds of all people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That one who really is this light, who gives light to all people, he was now arriving here under the heavens/sky.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “That one who came to the earth is truly the one who opens the hearts of the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Jesus-Christ is the one who is the true light that arrived here in the world and lightens/enlightens the mind/thinking of all the people.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “That is the true Light which already arrived in this world to brighten people.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “And the true light which gives light to all people, that’s just was descended and came to the earth.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “That light of truth came to the world so that it could bring light to every person.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 6:17:
Uma: “Like this is the account of Yohanes the Baptizer’s death. King Herodes took and married Herodias, the wife of his own relative who was named Filipus. Many times Yohanes denounced Herodes because of his behavior, he said to him: ‘You cannot marry that sister-in-law of yours! That behavior of your breaks the Law of Musa.’ From there, Herodes ordered his soldiers to go capture Yohanes. They did capture him, bound him and put him in prison.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For it had been King Herod hep who had commanded Yahiya to be seized and he had commanded him to be imprisoned. It happened like this: This King Herod had married his sister-in-law, Herodiyas, but his younger brother Pilip, the husband of Herodiyas, was still alive. So-then when they already had become-one, Yahiya scolded the king. Yahiya said to him, ‘It is not right/lawful (halal) if you are-one with the wife of your brother. You are sinning.’ Na, that was the reason why Herodiyas became-the-enemy-of/enemied Yahiya and wanted to kill him. But the king didn’t allow it,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Herod said that due-to what had happened before. Because he had had-Juan -arrested and had had-him-imprisoned in-chains due-to Juan’s admonishing him. Because Herod, he married his sister-in-law Herodias the wife of his younger-sibling Felipe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Herodes spoke like that because in the past, he was the one who had caused Juan to be arrested, bound and imprisoned, because of Herodias who was the wife of Felipe who was Herodes’ brother. For Herodes had grabbed-for-himself that sister-in-law of his.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Alekano: (includes vv. 17-20) “Herod previously took his younger brother Philip’s wife Herodias. After he did that, John telling Herod said, ‘your younger brother’s wife you have taken — it is not right.’ After he said that, on account of Herodias, Herod sent men and they went and seizing John’s hands arope in the rope house. After they did that, Herodias, being bad in her liver concerning John, desired to strike and kill him, but John remained a straight-going man, not having sin, and Herod perceived it and remained afraid concerning him, and since he guarded over him well, Herodias was unable to kill John. Herod, hearing John’s talk day after day, heard his two ears but enjoyed his insides rose up) hearing the talk he spoke.” (Source: Ellis Deibler in The Bible Translator 1968, p 14ff. )
Yagaria (includes v. 17) : “Herod at one time sent his soldiers, and they took John and put him in jail. Before that Herod took away the wife of this younger brother Philip and took her, and John told Herod thus: ‘That you take the wife of your younger brother, that is not good.’ Because he said that, Herod put John in jail.” (Source: Renck, p. 94)
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “Then I said to Peter . . . Then when Simon Peter heard me say to him . . .” The Alekano translation her also uses the first-person: “After that, I, the man Jesus loved, said this to Peter.”
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):
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)
“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 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)
