saint

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The Greek that is translated as “saint” in English is rendered into Highland Puebla Nahuatl as “one with a clean hearts,” into Northwestern Dinka as “one with a white hearts,” and into Western Kanjobal as “person of prayer.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 146)

Other translations include:

complete verse (Ephesians 4:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 4:12:

  • Uma: “He distributes these blessings to us in order that all his followers be sufficiently equipped, in order that we are able to take care of his work, and in order that stronger-and-stronger becomes our connection with him and with our fellow relatives of one faith in the Body of Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Almasi did this so that the ones trusting in him are able to do their different kinds of work for God so that they, the ones figuratively his body, would encourage one another and their trust would become strong.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason He gave these skills, is so that we (incl.) might be equipped and we might be able to do what God wants us (incl.) to do, and so that the faith of us believers, who are the body of Christ, might be strengthened.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He gave these abilities to some of his people so that all of God’s people would be taught and would be prepared to serve him and their fellows. Because the result of it is that the body of Cristo which is the comparison of us who believe will become-sturdy” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well all of these, they have been graciously-given by the Lord so that they can teach all the believers all which they need in their own individual serving of the Lord. Well if each one attends-to/faces this serving of theirs well, as for all of us, who are like the body of Cristo, we will become stronger and stronger” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “These people who have been appointed are those who will bring it about that all the believers will do the work which Christ has given them to do. These will strengthen more the believers here on earth,” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Christ, Messiah

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The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.

When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח‎) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”

This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.

In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the German Gute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).

In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.

In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).

Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:

  • Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
  • Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
  • Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )

In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with a sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):

“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Christ .

Translation commentary on Ephesians 4:12

This verse, which in Greek continues without a break from verse 11, expresses the purpose of Christ’s bestowing these gifts on the church; the initial preposition “for” in the Greek is directly related to the main verb “he gave” in verse 11.

To prepare translates a Greek noun found only here in the New Testament; it denotes the action described by the verb “prepare, make ready, equip” (see Mark 1.19 and Matt 4.21, with the object “nets”). All God’s people are to be equipped to do the work of Christian service. It is not likely (as Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible say in footnote) that “the saints” are here only the particular ministers listed in verse 11. Revised Standard Version (following King James Version and American Standard Version [American Standard Version]; also Abbott) takes the phrase “for the work of service” to be a separate phrase indicating an additional purpose: “for the equipment of the saints, for the work of ministry.”

It should be noticed that the Greek manuscripts do not have punctuation marks, and that the punctuation marks in printed editions of the Greek New Testament are the work of the editors of the text.

He did this to prepare all God’s people may be expressed as “he did this in order that all God’s people would be ready to…” or “… would be able to….”

Christian service translates a Greek noun meaning “service, work,” a general term for all that a Christian is called on to do; the related noun “servant” (3.7; 6.21) was applied to those who performed humble tasks, like waiting on tables.

The phrase for the work of Christian service may be rendered “for the work people who follow Christ must do” or “in order to do what they should as believers” or “in order to help others as believers should.”

To build up translates the Greek noun for “building” (see 2.21; 4.16), and for the body of Christ see 1.23 (also 2.6; 4.4). This last clause is closely dependent on the previous one but is also, like the previous one, related to the main verb “he gave” in verse 11.

The clause in order to build up the body of Christ contains a type of mixed metaphor, since “building up” would refer primarily to construction, while the body of Christ is a group of people. The verbal phrase to build up can be translated in some languages by “caused to grow” or “caused to grow strong.” The whole purpose clause can be translated “in order to strengthen the body of Christ” or “in order to strengthen the believers as the body of Christ.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .