1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
In American Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “government/governor” plus the sign for “P” with a circular movement. The reference to government indicates Pilate’s position of authority in the Roman Empire. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Pilate” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Greek in Luke 3:1 that is typically translated in English as “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius” is translated by the ItalianLa Sua Parola è Vita translation as Passarono circa due decenni. Era adesso il quindicesimo anno del regno dell’imperatore Tiberio Cesare or “About two decades passed. It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius Caesar.” Cotrozzi (2019) explains: “There is a time gap between the last events recounted in 2:52 and those in 3:1. Jesus was 12 at the end of chapter 2 but about 30 years old when he began his work (3:23). As a result, some 18 years must have elapsed since 2:51-52. However, this is not readily apparent to most modern readers. All the more so since the gap coincides with a break at chapter level and is followed by the same name (Herod) as in 1:5 which seems to indicate continuity. What most readers are not aware of is that the same name refers in Luke to two different historical figures, Herod the Great (1:5) and his son Herod Antipas (3:1). Only a few Bibles — DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk and Den Nye Aftale, EnglishNew Living Translation, FrenchLa Parole de Vie, GermanDie Gute Nachricht and Neues Leben Übersetzung, and SpanishTraducción en lenguaje actual — make this clear in the text.”
The Greek that is transliterated as “Herod (Antipas)” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for king and and a sign depicting cutting off the head (of John the Baptist), referring to Matthew 14:10 et al. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Augustus” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “C” (for Caesar, the title of the powerful ruler of Rome) and “bald” since he was known to be ashamed of his baldness. (Source: Missão Kophós )
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.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 3:1:
Noongar: “When King Tiberius had been king for 15 years, Pontius Pilate was boss of Judea, Herod was boss of Galilee. His brother Philip was boss of the lands of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanius was boss of Abilene.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “In the fifteenth year of the government of Kaisar Tiberius in the city of Roma, Pontius Pilatus became the governor of Yudea land and Herodes Antipas was the one ruling in Galilea. Filipus the relative of Herodes ruled in Iturea and Trakhonitis, and Lisanias ruled in Abilene.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When Tiberus, the leader king of the tribe of Roma had ruled for 15 years already, the word of God arrived, coming to Yahiya the child of Jakariya. Yahiya was there in the lonely place. At those times Pontiyus Pilatus was governor in the place Yahudiya, Herod was governor in the place Jalil and his sibling Pilip was governor in the place Ituriya and the place Tarakuniti, and Lisani was governor in the place Abilen. The chief priests were Annas and Kayapas.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “At the fifteenth year of the rule of King Tiberius in the town of Rome there was that which God told John, the son of Zechariah. Now John was in a land where no people lived. At that time the governor of the province of Judea was Pontius Pilate, and Herod was governor over the province of Galilee. And as for Philip, the younger brother of Herod, he was governor over the provinces of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, he was governor over the province of Abilene. And as for Annas and Caiaphas, they were the high priest in the town of Jerusalem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When it was the fifteenth year of the ruling of Emperor Tiberius, Poncio Pilato was the governor in Judea and Herod in Galilea. Herod’s brother Felipe, he also ruled in the region of Iturea and in Trakonitis, and Lisanias was the one who ruled in Abilene.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well after a long time, the fifteenth year was reached of the emperorship of Tiberio. Poncio Pilato was the governor of Judea. Herodes was king in Galilea and his brother Felipe was king in Iturea and Traconite. Lisanias was king in Abilinia.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Abilene” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “grass,” since “grassfield” is a possible meaning of “Abilene,” and the border on the map of Abilene. (Source: Missão Kophós )
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