The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated as “envy” or “envious” in most English translations is, according to Nida (1952, p. 134), translated into Tzeltal and Tabasco Chontal in the following manner:
“Envy is bred of covetousness and self-centeredness. The Tzeltals, who recognize a covetous man as having a ‘small heart,’ say that an envious person has ‘a greedy heart.’ ‘Small hearts’ and ‘greedy hearts’ go together, and the soul shrinks in direct proportion to its greediness. The envious person is never satisfied, for he can never keep step with his own insatiable ego.
“The Chontal Indians, living in the low, swampy delta land of Tabasco in southern Mexico, regard envy in a more subtle way. They say of the man who is envious of his neighbor, ‘He did not want to see his neighbor.’ This describes the end result of envy. People cannot bear to see others enjoying the privileges which they insist should be their own. The envious man has acquired such a self-directed stare that he cannot take his eyes off self to see another’s enjoyment.”
In Central Mazahua is is translated as “jealous of each other, their fellow people,” in Sayula Popoluca as “hate those who have something” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), in Matumbi as sukya, which means “envy” but also “hate” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext), and in Kupsabiny as “blackstomached” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation).
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “chief priest” in English is translated in Muyuw as tanuwgwes lun or “ruler-of peace offering.” (Source: David Lithgow in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 118ff. )
Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)
Mucho antes un hombre, Barrabás, junto con otras personas, se levantó contra el gobierno romano con violencia y también mató a varias personas.
Los soldados romanos arrestaron a las personas y los metieron en la cárcel y Barrabás igual fue metido en la cárcel.
Después, a continuación, una multitude de personas fue ante Pilato y dijeron: “Tú sabes que es el día de la fiesta de Pascua y siempre, cada año, es el costumbre que liberas a una persona, por favor (hazlo).”
Pilato sabía que los sacerdotes estaban celosos y por eso habían arrestado a Jesús, y preguntó: “‘Él, Jesús, el rey de los Judíos, ¿quieren que lo deje libre?”
Los líderes de los sacerdotes dijeron: “Mejor diganle que libere al hombre Barrabás.” Las personas obedecieron y gritaron: “¡Libera a Barrábas!”
Pilato dijo: “He oido a uds hablando de este Jesús como rey de los judios, y ahora ¿tengo que castigarlo? ¿Cuál es? Diganme.”
Todas las personas gritaron: “¡Crucificalo!” Pilato (preguntó): “¿Porqué, qué tipo de maldad (ha cometido) Jesús?” Todas las personas gritaron más fuerte: “¡Crucificalo, crucificalo!”
Pilate (dijo): “Bien” y mandó que Barrabás fue liberado y mandó a los soldados: “vayan y azoten a Jesús y después crucifiquenlo.”
Long before a man, Barrabas, together with other people revolted against the roman government violently and he also killed several people.
The roman soldiers arrested the people and put them in prison, and Barrabas was put in prison as well.
Then, afterwards, a multitude of people went before Pilate and said: “You know it’s the day of the Passover feast, and it is always, every year, the custom that you set someone free, please (do this).”
Pilate knew inside that the priests were jealous and that’s why they had arrested Jesus, and he asked: “He, Jesus, the king of the Jews, do you want me to let him go free?”
The leaders of the priests said: “Better tell him to set the man Barrabas free.” The people obeyed and shouted: “Set Barrabas free!”
Pilate said: “I have heard you talking about Jesus here as the king of the Jews, and now I should punish him? Which one is it? Tell me.”
All the people shouted: “Crucify him!” Pilate (asked): “Why, what kind of wrong (has) Jesus (done)?” All the people shouted louder: “Crucify him, crucify him!”
Pilate went “OK” and ordered that Barrabas was freed and he ordered the soldiers: “Go and whip Jesus and crucify him afterwards.”
The chief priests, elders, and scribes were judges, and they deliberated. Early in the morning, when it was light, they made a decision. What was it? They had to bring Jesus to Pilate. That was what they decided among themselves. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. They took Jesus, tied his hands, and led him to where Pilate was. The chief priests were gathered there. Jesus stood before them. Pilate asked Jesus:
— Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus answered:
— You yourself say that I am the king of the Jews.
The chief priests began to get angry. They began to accuse Jesus of crimes. Pilate, after listening, asked Jesus again:
— Why are you silent, why don’t you say anything? Look how many accusations there are against you.
But Jesus said nothing, he simply remained silent. Pilate was very surprised.
This was the beginning of the Passover holiday. According to tradition, every year at this time the people could ask Pilate to release one prisoner. At this time, there was a man named Bar-Abba in prison, as well as accomplices in his crimes. Earlier, Bar-Abba had rebelled against the Romans and committed murder. Therefore, he was put in prison. The people, according to tradition, came and began to ask Pilate to release Bar-Abba. Pilate realized that this was what the high priests had ordered. They had handed Jesus over to trial out of envy. Pilate realized this and said to the people:
— Here is Jesus, who is the king of the Jews, perhaps you want me to release him?
But the high priests began to incite the people to ask specifically for the release of Bar-Abba. Pilate said:
— And Jesus, whom you call the king of the Jews, what do you want me to do with him? And the people began to shout that Jesus should be crucified.
Pilate said:
— What did Jesus do wrong?
But the people began to shout even louder that Jesus must be crucified. And then Pilate ordered that Bar-Abba be released, and that Jesus be beaten with whips and crucified on the cross.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Первосвященники, старейшины, а также книжники были судьями, они совещались. Ранним утром, когда рассвело, они приняли решение. Какое это было решение? Нужно привести Иисуса к Пилату. Так они между собой решили. Пилат был римский правитель Иудеи. Они взяли Иисуса, связали ему руки и повел его туда, где был Пилат. Там же собрались первосвященники. Перед ними стоял Иисус. Пилат спросил Иисуса:
— Ты царь иудеев?
Иисус ответил:
— Это ты сам так говоришь, что я царь иудеев.
Первосвященники начали злиться. Начали обвинять Иисуса в преступлениях. Пилат, выслушав, повторно спросил Иисуса:
— Почему ты молчишь, ничего не говоришь? Посмотри, сколько обвинений против тебя.
Но Иисус ничего не говорил, просто молчал. Пилат был очень сильно удивлён.
Это время было началом праздника Пасхи. По традиции, каждый год в это время народ мог попросить у Пилата, чтобы он отпустил одного заключенного. В это время в тюрьме был человек по имени Бар-Абба, а также соучастники в его преступлениях. Ранее Бар-Абба поднял бунт против римлян и совершил убийство. Поэтому его посадили в тюрьму. Народ по традиции пришел и стал просить Пилата, чтобы он отпустил Бар-Аббу. Пилат понял, что так велели первосвященники. Они из зависти отдали Иисуса на суд. Это понял Пилат и сказал народу:
— Вот Иисус, который царь иудейский, может быть, вы хотите, чтобы я его отпустил?
Но первосвященники начали подговаривать народ, чтобы они просили именно отпустить Бар-Аббу. Пилат сказал:
— А Иисус, которого вы называете царем иудеев, что вы хотите, чтобы я с ним сделал? И люди начали кричать, что Иисуса нужно распять. Пилат сказал:
— Что Иисус сделал плохого?
Но народ ещё сильнее начал кричать, что Иисус должен быть распят. И тогда Пилат приказал, чтобы Бар-Аббу отпустили, а Иисуса избили бичами и распяли на кресте.
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 15:10:
Uma: “Pilatus said like that, for he know that Yesus wasn’t really guilty; the leading priests had handed Yesus over to him just out of their envy / jealousy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The reason that he asked them like that was because he knew that Isa had been handed over to him by the leaders of the priests, because they were jealous of Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason Pilate said this is because he knew that the reason the chief priests had accused Jesus was that they were jealous of him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He inquired that, because he knew that the leaders of the priests had handed-over Jesus to him on-account-of their jealousy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Pilato spoke like that for he realized that envy was what had led the chiefs of the priests to bring Jesus to him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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®).
paradedōkeisan ‘they had handed over,’ ‘they had delivered’: another pluperfect (cf. v. 7), of an action completed in the past.
hoi archiereis (cf. 8.31) ‘the chief priests.’
Translation:
The pronominal referents in this verse may be somewhat obscure, thus requiring the substitution of ‘Pilate’ for he and possibly ‘Jesus’ for him.
There is a tendency to mistranslate envy as ‘jealousy,’ which may be applicable only to jealousy over women. Hence, in some languages the closest equivalent is ‘because they were angry with him’ (Copainalá Zoque). In some instances, however, in order to avoid misinterpretation, the particular nature of this envy must be described, e.g. ‘they hated Jesus because everybody like him’ (Tabasco Chontal).
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
This verse provides some background information. It explains why Pilate responded to the crowd by asking them if they wanted him to release Jesus. The NET Bible puts 15:10 in parentheses to show that it is background information:
(For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.)
You should indicate that this is background information in the way that is natural in your language.
Pilate knew that Jesus had not done anything against Roman law. He knew the chief priests were angry because many Jewish people were following Jesus rather than the chief priests. The chief priests had accused Jesus of wrong because they were envious of him and wanted to kill him.
For he knew: The Greek has a clause here that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as For he knew . In some languages, it may be more natural to add some implicit information here. For example:
Pilate asked this because he knew…
This clause indicates that Pilate understood why the chief priests handed Jesus over to him for trial. Someone had probably given him information that helped him understand.
it was out of envy: The phrase it was out of envy means “because they were jealous.” The chief priests were envious or jealous of Jesus. This was probably because the ordinary people liked to listen to Jesus more than they liked listening to the chief priests.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
because they were envious of him/Jesus -or-
because they were jealous of his popularity
Some languages have special idioms to express envy.
the chief priests: A Jewish priest was a man who offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. He also performed other rituals for them. The phrase the chief priests refers to the leaders among these priests.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
the leading/ruling priests -or-
the elders among the Jewish sacrificers -or-
the most prominent priests
See how you translated priest at 15:1b.
had handed Jesus over: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the idiom had handed…over means “delivered into the control of someone else.” In this case they gave Jesus to Pilate to judge him.
Here are some other ways to translate this verb:
gave/delivered -or-
brought Jesus to him. (Contemporary English Version)
This verb also occurs in 15:1d. See how you translated it there.
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