Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 6:31 - 6:32

If therefore you will pray again and fast again for seven days, I will again declare to you greater things than these: The instructions Uriel gives Ezra here will prepare him for his third vision in 2 Esd 6.35–9.25 (see the comments on 2 Esd 5.13; compare 9.23). If therefore may be rendered “Now if” (Good News Bible) or “But if” (Contemporary English Version). Fast may be translated “go without eating” (Contemporary English Version). The demonstrative pronoun these refers to the things that Uriel has just told Ezra, so for clarity greater things than these may be expressed as “even greater things than those I have just talked about.” Some Latin manuscripts add the confusing phrase “by daylight” (Good News Bible footnote) at the end of verse 31. It is probably best to follow the ancient versions by omitting this phrase, as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible.

Because your voice has surely been heard before the Most High means God has heard Ezra’s prayers. For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3.

For the Mighty One has seen your uprightness and has also observed the purity which you have maintained from your youth: The Mighty One may be rendered “the Mighty God” (Good News Bible). Good News Bible combines uprightness and purity into “pure and righteous life.” The meaning here is that Ezra has behaved correctly and observed the ritual laws of purity since his boyhood.

We recommend Good News Bible as a model for these two verses. But here is another possible model:

• 31 But if you pray again and go without eating for seven more days, I will tell you even greater things than those I have just told you, 32 because God Most High has indeed heard your prayers. The Mighty God has watched you obey him and keep the ritual laws of purity since you were young.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.