Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:46:
Uma: “Every day they gathered in the House of God. They broke bread to remember the Lord Yesus’ death, and they ate together in their houses with glad and holy [i.e., sincere] hearts.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Every day they met together there in the temple/big prayer-house. They ate together in their homes. They ate with joy and they were generous in giving to one another.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And everyday all the believers were gathering in the big church which was called the House of God. And they became one also with great joy as they ate in their houses.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Every-day they were joining-in-congregating in the Temple. They were eating-together also in the houses, and their joy was heartfelt/sincere in their doing that.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And what they did every day was, they gathered together in the like-a-yard of the Templo. A custom of theirs also was, they went to eat at one another’s homes with a happy mind which had no motive which wasn’t good.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Isthmus Mixe: “They gathered together every day at the big Israelite church building. They celebrated the Lord’s supper at their houses. They were joyful and contented as they ate together.”
Desano: “Every day in the temple they talked with God and in their houses they ate together and in their hearts they were content.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:44:
Uma: “All of those believers in Yesus, they were united/agreed. Their belongings they had in common.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “All who trusted in Isa were together, and whatever they had they shared/gave to each other if someone was in need.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The unity of the believers was strong. That person who had possessions, he gave also to his companions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “All the believers were continuing to meet-together and share-with-each-other their possessions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “As for the believers, what they did was, they were always/often gathering together and they were all really harmonious. They didn’t hold-back any of their possessions which were needed by their sibling in believing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Chuj: “All of them who had believed in Jesus were united in mind. Everything of theirs, one only they treated it (as common property).”
Isthmus Mixe: “The ones who had believed were working together. They owned everything together.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “All that believed followed one another and what they had they gave to one another.”
Lalana Chinantec: “All the people who believed the words of God were continually coming together; they were very kind to their companions. They never reserved for themselves all of their things.” (Source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:40:
Uma: “Many other were the word of Petrus to the crowd, he advised them and warned them, he said: ‘Repent! No longer follow the evil people who live at this time, so that you do not receive the punishment of God that will strike them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Petros said much more to them and he begged them, he said, ‘Help yourselves so that you will not be punished like the people now/of these days who are bad/evil.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there were many arguments which Peter used to advise them. He said, ‘Avoid the punishment of God on these people today whose customs are bad.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “There was much more that Pedro said, advising and warning them so that they would hopefully be-persuaded. ‘You should escape the punishment of the stubbornly-unteachable people nowadays,’ he said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Much more was said by Pedro which was his testimony and warning and he spoke-emphatically to them, saying, ‘Now make sure that you will be saved, no longer included with people whose nature/ways are evil, who really will be punished by God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Desano: “He said many things to them, speaking well to them, seeking the good of the people so that they would not be mixed with the evil people.”
Isthmus Mixe: “Peter told them many more words. They were thus counseled: ‘Turn away from evil people lest you perish with them.'”
San Mateo del Mar Huave: “And in regard to that he told them more, he gave them advice, he said: ‘You leave off that which is wicked, that which all the people do.’ he tells them.” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:39:
Uma: “Because God promised that he would give us the Holy Spirit, and to our descendants, even to people who are far away. This promise of God’s is for [lit., the portion of] all people whom our Lord, the Lord God, has called to be his followers.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For this is God’s promise hep to you Yahudi and to your descendants, and including also all in the far places, whoever is told/commanded by our (incl.) Leader God to follow him.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for us (incl.) and our (incl.) descendants, we (incl.) are the ones who were promised the Holy Spirit. And not just only us, but also those people who live a long way off, anyone whom God makes to believe in him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because that is what God promised to you and to your descendants and to them who are in distant countries, even any person whom God our Lord calls.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For this is what was promised to us all, including our children and people in far away places, as many as are called by God to submit to him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Lalana Chinantec: “‘For God has said he is willing to give to you his Great Spirit. He will also give it to your sons. He will give it to people who live far away and to all the people whom our Lord has chosen.’ That’s what Peter said to the Israel people.” Morelos Nahuatl. “God wants to give his Holy Spirit to you and your children and to all those who are far away. All whom God calls he will give his Holy Spirit to them.” Isthmus Mixe: “For if you thus comply, you will be surely given the Holy Spirit. God previously said that he would thus truly give you. He wants to give him to you and your children and all the ones in a far place and who ever gets called to/by the Lord our God.” (Source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:27:
Uma: “Because you (sing.) do not abandon my soul to stay in the dwelling-place of the dead, my body you (sing.) do not abandon in the grave until rotten, because I an your (sing.) servant whom you chose.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because you will not leave me in the land of the dead. You will not abandon/leave my body to rot. I am your holy servant.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because I know that you will not just never mind my soul there in the place of the dead. I, your faithful servant, I know also that you will not permit that my body will become rotten.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “that you (sing.) will not abandon-me in the place of the dead. You (sing.) also will not allow my body to rot, because I singlemindedly/persistently serve you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “you won’t leave/desert my spirit there in the wherever of the dead. You won’t leave my body to rot in the grave, I who am always obeying your will.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Chuj: “Because you, my Lord, you will not leave my spirit among the dead. You will not allow to decay the body of the one very precious in your sight.”
Morelos Nahuatl: “I have much confidence because you will not leave my soul to remain forever among the dead ones. Neither will you leave my body to decay because I am your son and I am good.”
Teutila Cuicatec: “…nor let thy Holy One see corruption nor will you allow me, whom you love, to rot away.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:23:
Uma: “That Yesus was offered to you, and you killed him, you offered him to evil people in order that they crucify him. But-in-fact what happened exactly followed the command/plan that God made-certain from-the-first, for God knew from-the-first what must happen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “God knew beforehand and (it was) from his will that this Isa was delivered into your hands/holding and he had planned this for Isa. And you told/commanded sinful men/people to nail Isa on the post and to kill (him).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this Jesus, a person delivered him to you. God already knew about this beforehand because this is what he had foreordained for Jesus. You caused him to be killed by people who do not worship God, and they nailed him to a cross.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “This Jesus, God originally decided that he be-handed-over to you, because that was his plan long-ago and he knew it would be fulfilled. And you had-him-killed, handing-him-over to bad people so they would nail him to the cross.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But, well, you handed him over to people who don’t acknowledge God, for you caused him to be killed on a cross. But it’s true, this was only the fulfilling of what God determined.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Eastern Highland Otomi: “A long time ago God knew what you did to his Son, and God allowed you to put him on the cross by the hands of the wicked and kill him.”
Chuj: “But that Jesus he was given into your hands; because thus it was God’s will it happened. God, he knew it already before, what would come upon Jesus. You, you borrowed the hands of bad people so that you grab Jesus. You put him on a cross. He died because of you.”
Isthmus Mixe: “God had appointed that Jesus be handed over to evil people. God had known that Jesus would be murdered. You made up your minds that evil people should nail Jesus to a cross and kill him.”
Morelos Nahuatl: “This Jesus God delivered to you because thus God determined before and he knew he was going to do it that way. In the hands of bad men you crucified Jesus and so you killed him.”
Teutila Cuicatec: “When he came into your hands, as God established even from former times, you took him prisoner and turned him over into the hands of sinful men. They crucified him and they killed him because that was what you wanted.
Coatlán Mixe: “Judas Iscariot delivered this Jesus to you in just the manner which God had planned beforehand. And you grabbed him and killed him when you delivered him to bad people and let them kill him on the cross.
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “Jesus was delivered up to men. You had lawless men crucify him. All this was according to God’s plan and foreknowledge.” (source for this and six above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
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)
