brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”

See also brothers.

complete verse (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Thessalonians 3:13:

  • Uma: “But all of you, relatives, don’t get-tired-of doing good.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “As for you, my brothers, don’t become tired of doing good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for you also, brethren, do not become weary in doing good.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for you also brothers, don’t get-bored/tired-of doing good.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But as for you, siblings in believing, don’t let yourselves become tired of doing good works.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, brothers, do not rest ever from doing good.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Translation commentary on 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Paul turns away from the group which is refusing to work and addresses the rest of the Christian community. He also turns from a specific order to a general instruction. The transition is marked in Good News Translation as in Greek by an emphatic but you, brothers, which Revised Standard Version, usually so close to the form of the Greek, does not reproduce in its “brethren.” New English Bible similarly has simply “my friends.” Phillips has “and the rest of you, my brothers,” Perhaps verse 15 is intended to correct this emphasis by stating that even those who do not work are still to be counted among the Christian “brothers.”

The abrupt appositional expression, you, brothers, may seem particularly awkward in this context. Perhaps one can use an expression such as “you, my fellow believers,” but it is also possible to say “but, my fellow believers, you must not become tired of doing good.”

Some translations (including Moffatt Phillips New English Bible Jerusalem Bible Bijbel in Gewone Taal Bible en français courant Biblia Dios Habla Hoy La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée Bible de Jérusalem Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) also mark the transition by beginning a new paragraph with this verse. Revised Standard Version and Luther 1984 make this verse the end of a paragraph. This is less satisfactory, since verse 13 is closely linked to the more specific instructions of verses 14-15.

There is a danger that some may wrongly interpret must not become tired of doing good. This expression could be interpreted to mean that the believers should refrain from doing good so that they would not become tired. The meaning is, of course, that the believers should keep on doing good, even though they might be tired. The correct meaning is more appropriately expressed in some languages as “you must never give up doing good.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Sung version of 2 Thessalonians 3

Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).

For more information, see here .