sending a message via a third person

All the letters by Paul start with the same expression in Wichí Lhamtés Güisnay with the same expression: Amtena ipuhfwas or “It has been time but now it is.”

Bill Mitchell (in Omanson 2001, p. 437) explains: “Languages have their own ways of marking different genres. When the Wichí of Argentina send a message by way of a third person it begins with a particular expression, which, if taken literally, would say: ‘it has been time but now it is.’ It may not communicate a whole lot in English, but it is indispensable in Wichí. In the Wichí New Testament the letters of Paul begin with this word.”

Christ Jesus

In the instances where the Greek New Testament says Christos Iēsous (Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς) rather than the more common Iēsous Christos and English translations typically translate as “Christ Jesus,” the Bokyi translation says Jisos Karâs or “Jesus Christ.”

Paul Bruns explains (in The Bible Translator 1986, p. 234ff. ):

“Bokyi is a rather small language in the Cross River State of Nigeria. In one Bokyi village named Bansan the oldest man’s name is Otu Obyi. There is another man in another Bokyi village named Obyi Otu. Even though these two men share the same names every Bokyi person knows that they are two different people because of the order in which their names are used.

“If you are a translator and your language uses this same method of naming people, you can not sometimes write Jesus Christ in your translation and sometimes write Christ Jesus, and still refer to the same person. It will refer to two different people. You should always write Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus, but not both. You will have to decide which order is the most natural in your language.”

Paul (icon)

Following is a Georgian Orthodox icon of Paul the Apostle from the 14th century (located in the Art Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi).

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

See also Paul.

Timothy

“Timothy” is the anglicized form of Timotheus, meaning “honoring God,” “honored of God,” “worshiping God,” “valued of God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that combines the signs for the letter T and “young,” referring to 1 Timothy 4:12 et al. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Timothy” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “sent,” referring to the many times Timothy was sent to different places (Acts 19:22, 1 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 3:2). Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Timothy” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

More information on Saint Timothy .

Philemon 1:1 - 3 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Philemon 1:1-3 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:


© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)

Yo Pablo estuve predicando en el servicio de Jesucristo, cuando fui arrestado y encarcelado.

Mi hermano en Cristo, Timoteo, vino a me visitarme en la cárcel, y ahora yo Pablo le escribo una carta a Filemón.

Nosotros dos te enviamos saludos cordiales a ti, Filemón, que ayudaste a mi y a mi compañero Timeoteo cuando predicabamos. A todos que se reunen en tu casa, a la iglesia, saludos,y también a todos los hermanos en Cristo, al igual que a Apia amada, y a Arquipo compañero nuestro en la predicación.

Nuestro Dios y Padre y el Señor Jesucristoles den gracia, amor, y paz.


I, Paul, was preaching in service of Jesus Christ when I was arrested and put in prison.

My brother in Christ, Timothy, came to visit me in prison and now I, Paul, write a letter to Philemon.

Both of us send you cordial greetings, Philemon, you who helped me and my companion Timothy as we preached. Greetings to all who meet in your house, the church, and to all the brothers in Christ, and also to the beloved Apphia and our fellow preacher Archippus.

May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace, love, and peace.

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Philemon 1:4-7 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Paul

The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Paul (and Saul)” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Paul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Paul (icon).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Paul .

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Phlm. 1:1)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including Paul and Philemon) for the equivalent of “our brother” and either the exclusive or inclusive form for “our dear friend.”

In Huautla Mazatec, the translators selected the inclusive we, in Tok Pisin, the exclusive form is used for the second occurrence (“our dear friend”).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff. and SIL International Translation Department (1999).