fishers of men

The Greek that is translated as “(I will make you) fishers of men (or: people)” in English is rendered in Martu Wangka as “before you used to work getting fish for people, now i think you should do another work getting people and teaching them to be my relatives” (source: Carl Gross).

In Galela it is translated as “. . . you teach people to follow me, which is similar to you netting fish to gather them in” (source: Howard Shelden in Kroneman 2004, p. 501).

Those he called to follow him were neither religious nor the most qualified (image)

“Fisherman spent their time finding fish to feed their family and sold what was left. It is not common for fishermen to be interested in or qualified for a study of the dharma but Jesus called them anyway.”

Drawing by Sawai Chinnawong who employs northern and central Thailand’s popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes; explanation by Paul DeNeui. From That Man Who Came to Save Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul H. DeNeui, William Carey Library, 2010.

For more images by Sawai Chinnawong in TIPs see here.

fishing

The Ghari translation uses different terms for “fishing”: with nets when fishing for fish and with a line when fishing for men. (Source: David Clark)

The translation for “fishing” (when referring to catching fish) in Ojitlán Chinantec is “catching water animals” and in Aguaruna “killing fish.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing the different kinds of fishing with a net in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also cast a net.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Fishing Economy in the Sea of Galilee .

Jesus calls his first disciples (image)

Kim Ki-chang (pen name: Unbo) (1913-2001) had been deaf and partially mute since the age of 7. He painted a series of 30 paintings for the “Life of Christ” cycle in 1952 during the Korean War. Kim portrayed Jesus as a seonbi / 선비, or a Joseon Period (1392-1910) gentleman scholar, wearing a gat / 갓 (hat) and dopo / 도포 (robe).

For other images of Kim Ki-chang art works in TIPs, see here.

complete verse (Matthew 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 4:19:

  • Uma: “Yesus said to them: ‘Come follow me! You will no longer fish, searching for fish. From now on I give you the work of teaching people to believe in me.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa said to them, ‘Come and follow me. Your work is to get/catch fiish. But if/when you follow me, I will teach you to get people to follow me.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus said to them, ‘So you are catchers of fish? Come with me and people (by contrast) you will be able to get so that they will follow (-as-disciples) me.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He said to them, ‘Until now, you have been net-fishing fish. Become my disciples so I will teach you to persuade people.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me, for I will make you to be like it’s now men you’re fishing for.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Upon seeing them, Jesus said: ‘Listen men, let’s go together. Now it will not be fish that you meet up with, rather I will teach you to meet up with people,’ he said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)