bread, loaf

The Greek term that is translated in English as “bread” or “loaf” is translated in Samo, it is translated as “Sago,” which serves “like ‘bread’ for the Hebrews, as a generic for food in the Samo language. It is a near-perfect metonymy that has all the semantic elements necessary for effective communication.” (Source: Daniel Shaw in Scriptura 96/2007, p. 501ff.)

In Chol it is translated as waj, the equivalent of a tortilla. (Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight)

John Beekman (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 180f. ) explains: “The word ‘bread’ in Scripture primarily occurs as either a specific term for bread (including the Lord’s Supper), or as a generic term for food. It is not surprising, however, the some aboriginal groups use something other than bread as the staff of life. The Chols, with their cultural focus in the cultivation of corn, use waj, a type of thin corn flake. Since a meal is not complete without this main item of food, the term has been extended to include any other foods which may be served along with waj. While bread is known to them, its use is limited to a few occasions during the year when it functions as a dessert. In translating this term in the Chol New Testament, consistent use has been made of the word waj whenever the function of bread as a basic food was in focus. John 6:35, “I am the bread of life,” was thus translated with this word. If the word for bread had been used, it was feared that the Chol would compare Christ to the desirable, but not absolutely necessary, dessert.”

Robert Bascom adds his thoughts to this in relation to other Mayan languages (in Omanson 2001, p. 260): “In many Mayan languages, ‘bread’ can be translated waj or kaxlan waj. The first term literally means anything made from corn meal, while the second term literally means ‘foreigner’s waj,’ and refers to the local wheat-based sweet breads which are so popular within the broader European-influenced culture of the region. On the one hand, waj would be a better dynamic equivalent in cases where ‘bread’ meant ‘food,’ but in cases where the focus is literal or the reference well-known, kaxlan waj would preserve a flour-based meaning (though in biblical times barley was more in use than wheat) and not insert corn into a time and place where it does not belong. On the other hand kaxlan waj is not the staff of life, but refers to a local delicacy. In cases such as these, it is even tempting to suggest borrowing pan, the Spanish word for ‘bread,’ but native speakers might respond that borrowing a foreign word is not necessary since both waj and kaxlan waj are native terms that cover the meaning (though in this case, perhaps not all that well).”

In Mairasi it is translated bread tubers. Tubers are the main food staple and are therefore synonymous with food. (Source: Enggavoter 2004). In Yagaria, Kâteand Yabem it is translated as “taro cake.” (Source: Renck, p. 101)

staff, walking stick

The Greek that is translated as “staff” or “walking stick” in English is translated in Noongar as boorn-yaniny or “wood-walking” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

complete verse (Luke 9:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 9:3:

  • Noongar: “But first, Jesus told them, ‘Don’t take any thing with you on the road you will travel: no walking stick, no begging bag, no money and no other clothes (lit.: “kangaroo skin” — see cloth).” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Before they left, he said to them: ‘Do not carry anything on your journey. Don’t carry a food-bundle or food or money. Do not carry two shirts or walking stick[s].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And he said to them, ‘Don’t take anything on your journey. Don’t take a walking stick or a bag or food or money. And don’t take a blouse/shirt for changing.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he commanded them, he said, ‘Don’t you take along your possessions with you on your trip, even a walking stick, don’t you take it. Don’t you carry a handbag, don’t you take food, don’t you take money, and even a change of clothes, don’t you take it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He instructed them, ‘Take-along nothing in your walking. Don’t take-along a walking-stick, backpack, food, money, or change of clothes.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He instructed them saying, ‘Don’t take any provisions along when you travel, whether a walking-stick, something in which to put what you may be given, food, money or a change of clothes.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 9:3

Exegesis:

mēden airete eis tēn hodon ‘do not take anything for the journey.’ For airō cf. on 4.11; here it is used in a weakened meaning ‘to take,’ or, ‘to carry along.’

mēte rabdon mēte pēran lit. ‘nor a staff, nor a bag,’ elaborations of mēden (as are the following phrases).

rabdos ‘staff,’ ‘rod,’ used in travelling.

pēra ‘knapsack,’ ‘traveller’s bag,’ or (possibly but not preferably) ‘beggar’s sack.’

mēte arton mēte argurion lit. ‘nor bread nor money.’ They are to live on what will be given to them.

mēte [ana] duo chitōnas echein lit. ‘nor to have two undergarments each.’ The infinitive echein may be an imperatival infinitive (Klostermann), or represent a shift from direct to indirect speech (Plummer), in which case it is dependent on eipen. The latter is slightly preferable.

Translation:

Take nothing, or, ‘take nothing with you.’ Nothing, or where this would be hyperbolical, ‘no such things as,’ to be taken with the following negative phrases.

For your journey, or as a verbal clause, ‘when you go (or, go-on-journey),’ either at the end or at the beginning of the clause (Toraja-Sa’dan, Balinese).

No…, nor (thrice), repeating the negation in the elaborating phrases. Some languages prefer phrases governed by one negative particle, cf. e.g. ‘do not take-with-you necessities for travel, as-there-are, staff, bag, … etc.’ (Javanese, Sundanese), ‘no…, or (thrice)’ (Batak Toba, Tae’). Elsewhere such a series is preferably given in pairs, ‘staff (n)or bag, food (n)or money’ (cf. Toraja-Sa’dan).

Bag, or, ‘knapsack (lit. place for provisions)’ (Bahasa Indonesia in 10.4), ‘basket’ (Batak Toba; similarly Tae’ 1933 in 10.4, lit. ‘that-in-which-something-is-carried-on-the-back’), ‘bundle’ (Balinese, using a derivation of the verb ‘to tie (up),’ similarly Sranan Tongo in 10.4); or with a shift from the container to the contents, ‘provisions’ (Low Malay, Tae,’ in 10.4).

Bread, or ‘a piece of bread,’ see references on 4.3.

Money, or, ‘some money,’ ‘a sum of money.’ Where a generic term for the means of payment locally in use (such as ‘cowrie shells,’ in Ekari) is lacking, a generic plural of a commonly accepted local coin may be possible.

Do not have two tunics, or, “nor are you each to have a second coat” (New English Bible). A shift from direct to indirect discourse (the interpretation preferred in Exegesis) will often be undesirable in the receptor language; then the other interpretation is to be followed, as done in Revised Standard Version and the majority of the versions investigated; a few versions omit the verb, cf. Good News Translation. To have two tunics may refer to the wearing of two tunics/shirts, the one over the other, or to taking one extra for change. If one must choose, the first is preferable. For the noun see on “coat” in 3.11.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:3

9:3a–b

Jesus told his apostles not to take anything with them on this trip. They should depend on God to provide what they needed as they preached and healed. God would provide for them through people who would give them a place to stay. See Matthew 10:10.

The clause “Take nothing for the journey” in 9:3a is a general command. Specifically, Jesus told the disciples not to take the things listed in 9:3b.

9:3a

Take nothing for the journey: The clause Take nothing for the journey indicates that the disciples should not carry anything with them on their journey.

9:3b

no staff: A staff was a walking stick.

no bag: The term that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bag could refer to one of two things:

(1) A traveler’s bag or knapsack. Such a bag would be for carrying things to be used on the trip. For example:

traveler’s bag (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) A beggar’s bag. This kind of bag would be for putting in food or money that people would give them. For example:

beggar’s bag (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation)

If possible, use a general word, as most English versions do. If you must be specific, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation fits the context well.

no bread: The word bread describes the main food of the Jewish people. Here the term bread is used in a general way to refer to any type of food. Jesus did not want the apostles to take any food with them. Another way to translate this is:

no food (Good News Translation)

no second tunic: A tunic was a long undergarment. The disciples should not take an extra shirt or set of clothes. See the note on “tunics” at 3:11a. Some other ways to translate this expression are:

or even a change of clothes (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
not even an extra shirt (Good News Translation)

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.