Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 2:30:
Uma: “From his work working for Kristus, he very nearly died. He did not consider himself because he wanted to be your hands here helping me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “for he really almost died because of his work for Almasi. He did not hold-dear his life so that he could just help me because you were not able to help me at that time.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “because he almost died so that he might fulfill what Christ wanted him to do. He risked his life so that he might help me, because I could not be helped at that time by you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “because as for him, he almost died because of his doing the work-that-Cristo -had-him -do, and he risked his life helping me in your absence.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For as for this Epafrodito, he really risked his life (lit. body). Why wouldn’t I say that when this illness of his couldn’t have been more serious in his just persevering in this work of Cristo, and what you sent him here to do because you want to help me.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “You see that he was on the verge of death because he was doing the work of Christ in that he was helping me. He gave himself to suffer in helping me, doing that which you were not able to do for me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek Christos (Χρηστός) is typically transliterated when it appears together with Iésous (Ἰησοῦς) (Jesus). In English the transliteration is the Anglicized “Christ,” whereas in many other languages it is based on the Greek or Latin as “Kristus,” “Cristo,” or similar.
When used as a descriptive term in the New Testament — as it’s typically done in the gospels (with the possible exceptions of for instance John 1:17 and 17:3) — Christos is seen as the Greek translation of the Hebrew mashiaḥ (המשיח) (“anointed”). Accordingly, a transliteration of mashiaḥ is used, either as “Messiah” or based on the Greek or Latin as a form of “Messias.”
This transliteration is also used in the two instances where the Greek term Μεσσίας (Messias) is used in John 1:41 and 4:25.
In some languages and some translations, the term “Messiah” is supplemented with an explanation. Such as in the GermanGute Nachricht with “the Messiah, the promised savior” (Wir haben den Messias gefunden, den versprochenen Retter) or in Muna with “Messiah, the Saving King” (Mesias, Omputo Fosalamatino) (source: René van den Berg).
In predominantly Muslim areas or for Bible translations for a Muslim target group, Christos is usually transliterated from the Arabic al-Masih (ٱلْمَسِيحِ) — “Messiah.” In most cases, this practice corresponds with languages that also use a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) for Jesus (see Jesus). There are some exceptions, though, including modern translations in Arabic which use Yasua (يَسُوعَ) (coming from the Aramaic Yēšūa’) alongside a transliteration of al-Masih, Hausa which uses Yesu but Almahisu, and some Fula languages (Adamawa Fulfulde, Nigerian Fulfulde, and Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde) which also use a form of Iésous (Yeesu) but Almasiihu (or Almasiifu) for Christos.
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on, the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Other solutions that are used by a number of languages include these:
Dobel: “The important one that God had appointed to come” (source: Jock Hughes)
Noongar: Keny Mammarap or “The One Man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Mairasi: “King of not dying for life all mashed out infinitely” (for “mashed out,” see salvation; source: Lloyd Peckham)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “One chosen by God to rule mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Bacama: Ma Pwa a Ngɨltən: “The one God has chosen” (source: David Frank in this blog post )
Binumarien: Anutuna: originally a term that was used for a man that was blessed by elders for a task by the laying on of hands (source: Desmond Oatridges, Holzhausen 1991, p. 49f.)
Noongar: Keny Boolanga-Yira Waangki-Koorliny: “One God is Sending” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uab Meto: Neno Anan: “Son of heaven” P. Middelkoop explains: “The idea of heavenly power bestowed on a Timorese king is rendered in the title Neno Anan. It is based on the historical fact that chiefs in general came from overseas and they who come thence are believed to have come down from heaven, from the land beyond the sea, that means the sphere of God and the ghosts of the dead. The symbolical act of anointing has been made subservient to the revelation of an eternal truth and when the term Neno Anan is used as a translation thereof, it also is made subservient to a new revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The very fact that Jesus came from heaven makes this translation hit the mark.” (Source: P. Middelkoop in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 183ff. )
In Finnish Sign Language both “Christ” and “Messiah” are translated with a sign signifying “king.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Christ / Messiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient GreekSeptuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew mashiah was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):
“Another important word in the New Testament that comes from the Septuagint is christos, ‘Christ.’ Christ is not part of the name of the man from Nazareth, as if ‘the Christs’ were written above the door of his family home. Rather, ‘Christ’ is an explicitly messianic title used by the writers of the New Testament who have learned this word from the Septuagint’s translation of the Hebrew mashiach, ‘anointed,’ which itself is often rendered in English as ‘Messiah.’ To be sure, one detects a messianic intent on the part of the Septuagint translator in some places. Amos 4:13 may have been one of these. In the Hebrew Bible, God ‘reveals his thoughts to mortals,’ but the Septuagint has ‘announcing his anointed to humans.’ A fine distinction must be made, however, between theology that was intended by the Septuagint translators and that developed by later Christian writers. In Amos 4:13 it is merely possible we have a messianic reading, but it is unquestionably the case that the New Testament writers exploit the Septuagint’s use of christos, in Amos and elsewhere, to messianic ends.”
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
He risked his life translates a Greek participial phrase which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The word rendered risked may be used in reference to a gambler’s staking everything on a throw of the dice. While these are rather strong words in the present context, they probably refer to nothing more than the risk of ill-health involved in Epaphroditus’ devoted service to the people. In a number of languages he risked his life can best be rendered as “he came near to dying,” or “he exposed himself to the possibility of dying.” The final phrase in this clause, and nearly died, must be rendered in a way that will indicate, not only the risk that was involved, but even the great likelihood that Epaphroditus would actually die.
Even though some old manuscripts have the reading “the work of the Lord” (American Standard Version margin), instead of the work of Christ adopted in the UBS text, it is not favored by modern translators. The reading “the Lord” was probably substituted for “Christ” by certain copyists who were influenced by the expression “the work of the Lord” in 1 Cor 15.58 and 16.10. The work of Christ must be understood in the sense of “working for Christ”; not what Christ did, but the work which Christ wants to have done. The phrase for the sake of the work of Christ may then be rendered as “in order to help in working for Christ,” or “in order to help in doing what Christ would want people to do.”
In order to give me the help that you yourselves could not give is literally “in order that he might supply your lack of service to me.” The Good News Translation rendering makes clear that Paul is not complaining about the deficiency of the Philippians’ service to him, as a literal rendering might suggest. The only “deficiency” is that they were not able to be with the apostle to help him. Their messenger Epaphroditus made up this deficiency, even to the extent of risking his life.
Since the phrase for the sake of the work of Christ has already introduced a kind of purpose involved in the activity of Epaphroditus, it may be necessary to separate the final purpose clause from what precedes by reintroducing an expression of Epaphroditus’ activity, for example, “He did all this in order to help me in the way in which you yourselves were not able to help.”
Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
because: The Greek word could also be translated “since.” This verse explains why the Philippians should honor Epaphroditus.
for the work of Christ: That is, Epaphroditus was serving Christ when he went to help Paul.
risking his life: This repeats the same idea as “he almost died.” A person is risking his life when he does something that might cause him to die. Paul did not say what this was, but it was probably whatever caused Epaphroditus to become sick.
It may be necessary in some languages to reverse these two phrases. See the second Meaning Line in the Display.
2:30b
to make up for your deficit of service to me: The Philippian believers wanted to help Paul, but they could not all go to Rome. So they had sent Epaphroditus with their gifts to help Paul. He represented them as he helped Paul. One way you could translate this more clearly is:
He helped me as you would have if you had been here.
Be sure your translation does not sound as if Paul were complaining that the Philippians had not done enough for him.
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®).
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