ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος ἐθαύμασεν εἰ ἤδη τέθνηκεν καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν κεντυρίωνα ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν εἰ πάλαι ἀπέθανεν·
44Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead, and summoning the centurion he asked him whether he had been dead for some time.
The Greek that is translated as “centurion” in English is translated in Noongar as “boss of the Roman soldiers (lit.: ‘men of fighting’)” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Uma as “Roman army warchief” (source: Uma Back Translation), in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “a person who was not a Jew, the captain of a hundred soldiers” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Mairasi “leader of Roman warriors” (source: Enggavoter 2004).
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Roman Centurion .
The name that is transliterated as “Pilate” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language (as well as in French Sign Language) with the sign signifying the washing of hands (referring to Matthew 27:24). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
“Pilate” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
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
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Pontius Pilate .
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Following is the translation of Mark 15:42-47 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:
© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
Segun el costumbre de los judíos el sábado era el día de descanso y las persona siempre lo preparaban antes, el viernes en la tarde.
Un hombre, José, un anciano y líder superior del lugar de Arimatea, creía, deseaba y esperaba que viniera el reino de Dios.
El viernes en la tarde este mismo hombre, José de Arimatea en fe fue ante el gobernador romano y dijo a Pilato: “¿Puedo obtener permiso para llevar el cuerpo de Jesús?”
Pilato estaba sorprendido que Jesús ya estaría muerto. (Dijo): “Un momento” y llamó a que viniera el capitán romano. Cuando se había acercado (preguntó): “¿Jesús ya está muerto?” El capitán (dijo): “Si está muerto.”
Pilato (dijo): “Sí, tienes permiso, vete” y José de Arimateo se fue a comprar sábanas finas y después fue a Jesús, colgado en la cruz, y José tendió las sábanas y bajó el cuerpo de Jesús y lo envolvió en las sábanas y lo llevó.
Allá antes había un acantilado y habían cavado uns entrada para una tumba.
José de Arimatea, cargando el cuerpo, entró y tendió el cuerpo y salió y rodó una piedra grande tapando (la entrada de la tumba).
Ambas las mujeres María Magdalena y María lo vieron.
According to the custom of the Jews Saturday was a day of rest and the people always prepared before, Friday afternoon.
A man, Joseph, an elder and prominent leader from the place of Arimathea, believed in, and desired and waited for the coming of the kingdom of God.
On Friday afternoon this same man, Joseph of Arimathea, in faith went before the roman governor and said to Pilate: “Could I have permission to take the body of Jesus?”
Pilate was surprised that Jesus would already be dead. (He said): “Just a moment” and called the roman captain to him. When he had approached him (he asked): “Is Jesus already dead?” and the captain (said): “Yes, he is dead.”
Pilate (said): “Yes, you have permission, off you go” and Joseph of Arimathea went to buy fine sheets and afterwards went to Jesus hanging on the cross, and Joseph spread out the sheets and took down the body of Jesus and wrapped it in the sheets and carried it away.
There was a rock there into which they had dug an entrance for a tomb.
Joseph of Arimathea, carrying the body, went int and lay down the body and went out, and he rolled a big stone covering (the entrance to the tomb).
Both women, Mary of Magdalene and Mary, saw it.
Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
<< Mark 15:33-41 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 16:1-9 in Mexican Sign Language >>
Following is the translation of Mark 15:33-47 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:
Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество
At noon it became as dark as night over the whole land. The darkness lasted until three o’clock in the afternoon. Jesus on the cross cried out loudly:
— My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
There were people near the cross. Some people began to say that Jesus was probably calling the prophet Elijah to come. One man came up, took a sponge, soaked it in vinegar. He pierced it with a stick and brought it to Jesus’ face for Jesus to drink. This man said,
— Now let’s see if the prophet will come and take Jesus down from the cross.
Jesus on the cross cried out loudly and died. His head drooped. Inside the temple there is a curtain. And this curtain, at the moment Jesus died, was torn in two. Near the cross stood a Roman general, a commander over a hundred soldiers. He saw Jesus die. And this general said,
— Truly, Jesus was the son of God!
There were also many women standing there, looking at the cross and Jesus from afar. Among them were three women: Mary Magdalene, another Mary, who was the mother of James and Joses, and Salome. They had always followed Jesus before, served him, helped him when he was in Galilee. There were many other women. They had followed Jesus to Jerusalem before.
The evening was approaching. It was Friday. It was ending, and soon after that the Sabbath would begin. There was a man named Joseph, he lived in the city of Arimathea. And he was not an ordinary man, he was a member of the Supreme Court, and he himself was waiting for the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God. He gathered his courage and went to Pilate. Joseph decided to ask Pilate for permission to take the body of Jesus, wrap it in clothes, and bury it right now, before the Sabbath. Joseph came to Pilate and turned to him:
— Let me take the body of Jesus and bury it.
Pilate was very surprised:
— How? Jesus has already died?
Pilate called the Roman commander and asked:
— Has Jesus already died? When was that?
The commander answered:
— Yes, Jesus has already died.
Pilate gave permission to take the body. Joseph bought and prepared a large cloth for wrapping, came to the cross, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it and carried it to the rock, inside which a tomb had been made. There he laid the body, and blocked the entrance with a large stone. Nearby were two women, Mary Magdalene and Mary, who was the mother of Joses. And they looked at everything and saw how they buried Jesus and where.
В полдень по всей земле стало темно, как ночью. Тьма продолжалась до трех часов дня. Иисус на кресте громко воскликнул: «Бог мой, Бог мой, почему ты меня оставил?» Возле креста были люди. Некоторые люди стали говорить, что, наверное, Иисус зовёт пророка Илию, чтобы он пришел. Один человек подошел, взял губку, намочил её в уксусе. Палкой проткнул ее и поднёс к лицу Иисусу, чтобы Иисус выпил. Этот человек сказал:
— Сейчас посмотрим, придет ли пророк и снимет ли Иисуса с креста?
Иисус на кресте громко вскрикнул и умер. Голова его поникла. В храме внутри есть завеса. И эта завеса, в тот момент, когда Иисус умер, разорвался на две части. Возле креста стоял один римский военачальник, командир над ста воинами. Он видел, как Иисус умер. И этот военачальник сказал:
— Воистину, Иисус он был сыном Божьим!
Также там стояло много женщин, которые издали смотрели на крест и Иисуса. Среди них были три женщины: Мария Магдалина, еще одна Мария, которая была мать Иакова и Иосета, а также Саломея. Они раньше всегда следовали за Иисусом, служили, помогали ему, когда он был в Галилее. Ещё были многие другие женщины. Они раньше последовали за Иисусом в Иерусалим.
Приближался вечер. Это была пятница. Она кончалась, скоро после этого начиналась суббота. Был один человек именем Иосиф, он жил в городе Аримафея. И он был непростым человеком, он был членом Верховного суда, и он сам ждал скорого наступления Царства Бога. Он набрался смелости пришел к Пилату. Иосиф решил попросить у Пилата разрешение забрать тело Иисуса, запеленать его, чтобы похоронить прямо сейчас, до наступления субботы. Иосиф пришел к Пилату и обратился к нему:
— Разреши мне забрать тело Иисуса и похоронить его.
Пилат очень удивился:
— Как? Иисус уже умер?
Пилат позвал римского военачальника и спросил:
— Что, Иисус уже умер? Когда это было?
Военачальник ответил:
— Да, Иисус уже умер.
Пилат разрешил забрать тело. Иосиф купил и приготовил большую ткань для пеленания, пришел к кресту, снял тело Иисуса, запеленал и отнес его к скале, внутри которой была сделана гробница. Там оно положил тело, а вход загородил большим камнем. Недалеко были две женщины, это Мария Магдалина и Мария, которая мать Иосета. И они на все смотрели и видели, как похоронили Иисуса и где.
Back-translation by Luka Manevich
<< Mark 15:16-32 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 16:1-8 in Russian Sign Language >>
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 15:44:
Text:
Nestle and the majority of editions of the Greek text have palai for ‘some time’ (before apethanen ‘he died’); Westcott and Hort, Lagrange, Taylor, Kilpatrick (and Revised Standard Version), however, read ēdē ‘already.’
Exegesis:
ethaumasen ei ‘he marvelled that’ (and not Revised Standard Version ‘he wondered if’; cf. Translator’s New Testament ‘was astonished that’): ei after thaumazō ‘to marvel,’ ‘to wonder at’ (cf. 5.20) is to be translated ‘that,’ indicating the cause of the wonder or admiration (cf. 1 Jn. 3.13 which Revised Standard Version correctly translates ‘wonder … that’). The verb thaumazō here does not mean ‘to wonder’ in the sense of ‘to conjecture,’ ‘to be undecided about’: it means ‘to wonder at,’ ‘to marvel.’
ēdē tethnēken ‘he had already died,’ ‘he was by now dead.’
thnēskō (only here in Mark; cf. apothnēskō 5.35) ‘to die.’
proskalesamenos (cf. 3.13) ‘summoning,’ ‘calling to himself.’
epērōtēsen auton ei ‘he asked him if’: ei ‘if’ used in indirect questions (cf. 3.2) has the sense of ‘whether.’
palai apethanen (Nestle text) ‘a long time (ago) he died’: although palai usually means ‘for a long time’ it can mean (as it probably does here) ‘already,’ as a virtual synonym of ēdē ‘already,’ ‘by now’; Revised Standard Version margin translates palai ‘some time.’
Translation:
Wondered if … is translatable in some languages only as direct discourse, e.g. ‘Pilate said in his mind, Is it really true that he had died?’ (Tabasco Chontal).
Were already dead identifies a state, but in some languages the process must be specifically mentioned, e.g. ‘had already died.’
Summoning is rendered in some languages as ‘sent for the centurion to come’ or ‘sent servants to say to the centurion to come.’ Summoning should not be rendered as ‘yelled at.’
Asked him whether …, if shifted into the form of direct discourse, may be translated as ‘asked him, Is Jesus already dead?’ If the indirect discourse is retained one must make certain that the proper referent for he is understood; otherwise the reader may be confused with what is grammatically a reference to the centurion or even to Pilate.
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 .
15:44a
Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead is literally “Pilate was surprised that he was already dead.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the phrase to hear to make the clause natural English.
was surprised: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was surprised expresses surprise or amazement. Here it includes an element of doubt. Pilate was surprised or amazed to hear that Jesus had already died, and he sent for the centurion to confirm the report.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
was astonished/amazed that
-or-
wondered/marveled that
15:44b
so: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as so introduces what Pilate did as a result of what he heard from Joseph. He summoned the centurion to investigate. Connect 15:44b to 15:44a in a way that is natural in your language for this context.
he summoned the centurion: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as summoned here means “commanded to come.” The centurion was still by the cross, so Pilate sent someone to tell the centurion to come to him. The Revised English Bible translates this as:
sent for the centurion (Revised English Bible)
15:44c
to ask if this was so: In some languages, it may be natural to use direct speech for this question. For example:
…he/Pilate asked him, “Has Jesus already died?”
-or-
…he asked him, “Is it true that Jesus is already dead?”
© 2008 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.
No comments yet.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.