complete verse (Hebrews 13:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Hebrews 13:19:

  • Uma: “And I, I really request that you pray for me, that I may quickly return and meet with you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And I really beseech you, really pray to God that I may soon be able to come back to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Pray also for me, so I might quickly be returned by God to you. As for our Lord Jesus, He is the powerful One who watches over us, His sheep.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Please-also -be-so-kind (strong request) as to pray for me so it won’t be long before (lit. and-then) God will cause-me -to-return to you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Above all I am asking that you always pray for me that I may be able to return to you quickly/easily.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And when you pray to God for me, ask God to bring it about that I will soon be able to go and see you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

request / beg (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The concept of “requesting” is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-negai (お願い), combining “request” (negai) with the respectful prefix o (お).

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

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. )

Japanese benefactives (inotte)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, inotte (祈って) or “pray” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Hebrews 13:19

This verse is closely linked in meaning with verse 18, though it is a separate sentence grammatically. I beg you even more earnestly is a strong expression and may be rendered idiomatically as “with all my heart I ask you” or “with all the strength I have I plead with you.”

Revised Standard Version‘s literal “do this” is made explicit as to pray in Good News Translation and other translations. A comparison with Revised Standard Version also shows that the reference to God is implied. Some common language translations and most other translations have “the sooner” (so Revised Standard Version), implying “sooner than if you did not pray.” It may, however, simply mean “very soon” (New American Bible), “soon” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), or “as soon as possible” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Sung version of Hebrews 13

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 .