complete verse (John 5:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 5:12:

  • Uma: “They asked him: ‘Who commanded you (sing.) to carry your (sing.) mat?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Who is the person who told you that?’ they said.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the man answered, ‘Which person told you to roll up your mat and to walk around?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘And who perhaps (particle of strong disapproval) is the one who said that?’ they inquired.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Who is that who said that to you,’ said the Judio, ‘that you should carry it and go?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Then he was told, ‘Who told you to pick up your mat and go?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 5:12

In Greek the text reads “who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat, and walk’?” But the expression “pick up your mat and walk” has already occurred in verse 11; hence a substitute phrase, do this, may be employed here, as a matter of English style. Also this construction avoids the difficulty of “quotations within quotations.”

The term man is perhaps used contemptuously by the Jewish authorities. Something of the meaning of contempt may be expressed in English by using the term “fellow,” for example, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick up your mat and walk?”

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 .