peace (inner peace)

Click here to view graphically

The Hebrew and Greek that is usually translated into English as “peace,” when referring to one’s inner peace, is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)


“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

See also peace (absence of strife) and this devotion on YouVersion and this one on Bible Gateway .

complete verse (John 14:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 14:27:

  • Uma: “‘It is goodness I put/reserve to/for you. It is goodness from me that I give to you. What I give to you is not like what you receive from this world. Don’t let your hearts be uncertain and do not be afraid.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa said yet, ‘That is what I leave with you, a peaceful liver. This peace is from me and this is not the same as the peace in the world. Therefore don’t be troubled/sad in your liver and do not be afraid.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am leaving behind peace in your mind. The peace which is here in my mind, that’s what I am leaving for you. Those people here in the world who do not believe, they cannot give you peace like this. It’s necessary that your breaths should not be painful, and you should not also be afraid.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Don’t be worried and afraid, because I will make-peaceful your mind/thoughts. And the peace that I give you, it isn’t the peace that people in this world talk-about but rather the peace of my mind/thoughts.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Peace/protection of your minds/inner-beings is what I will leave for you to inherit. This peace/protection which I will give has no equal. It’s not like the peace/protection which can be given by this world which doesn’t remain. Therefore don’t be sad/disheartened. Don’t be afraid.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I am going to leave, but be at peace. I will cause you to be at peace, but not like the peace that the people talk about. Do not be sad and do not fear.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 John 14:27

The word peace is used also in 16.33 in a similar context; it appears as a greeting in 20.19,21,26. Although the word represents the conventional Jewish greeting (Hebrew shalom), in Old Testament thought it had already developed a broader meaning, which is no doubt intended in the present passage. For example, in Psalm 29.11 (The Lord … blesses them with peace) and in Isaiah 57.19 (I offer peace to all) it has the special meaning of a gift from the Lord. In John’s Gospel it is to be taken as equivalent to terms such as “light,” “life,” “joy,” and “truth,” all figurative terms descriptive of various aspects of salvation that God brings to men through Jesus Christ. It is not a negative term, referring to the absence of warfare or emotional tension, but rather a comprehensive term, including the benefits and blessings of the salvation that God brings to his people. In Romans 1.7; 5.1; 14.17 the term also has this broader meaning.

In some languages it is difficult to speak of “leaving peace with a person.” The closest equivalent may be “I cause you to have a quiet heart” or “… joy within” or “… joy in the heart.” One may then translate the first two clauses of verse 27 “I cause you to have joy within your hearts; the kind of joy that I have within my heart is what I am causing you to have.”

The second sentence of verse 27 is perhaps more difficult than the first, since it may be assumed that what is being compared here is the peace, rather than the manner in which the peace is given. The meaning here is “I do not cause you to have this peace in the same way that the world causes people to have peace.”

Do not be worried and upset translates the same expression used in 14.1. Here the exhortation do not be afraid is added. Literally the verb used here means “to be a coward,” and a noun made from this same stem (Good News Translation cowards) is used in Revelation 21.8. In a number of languages it is necessary to stipulate a grammatical goal of worried and upset. I must relate, as far as this context is concerned, to what the disciples are going to experience, namely, Jesus’ leaving them. Therefore one can say “Do not be worried and upset about what is going to happen; do not fear what is going to happen.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .