neighbor

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

build up

The Greek that is translated as “building up” in many English versions is translated in Chol with a term that specifically indicates to make others better (here and elsewhere, in their faith in Christ). (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Huehuetla Tepehua it is translated as “have more confidence in Christ,” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “cause that their hearts grow strong with reference to the way of God,” in Yatzachi Zapotec as “to become stronger in their faith,” and in Central Tarahumara as “so that they can believe better yet.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Rom. 15:2)

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 the writer of the letter and the readers).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Romans 15:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 15:2:

  • Uma: “Each of us must do what makes the heart of others happy and what helps others, in order to strengthen their faith.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But we (incl.) each one (incl.) ought-to please our (incl.) brother who trusts in Isa Almasi and we (incl.) (ought-to) do what is good for him in order that his trusting becomes/grows strong.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “but rather, let’s look for that which will please our (incl.) companions so that their faith might be drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “but let us all do what will please our companions which will lead to their betterment and will strengthen their faith.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Each of us must do what our fellow believers look well upon. That which we know will be good for them is what we should do in order to strengthen their faith.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 15:2

Brother is literally “neighbor,” but the reference is to one’s fellow Christian, rather than to people in general.

For his own good is literally “for that which is good,” but most translators understand this phrase in the same way as in the Good News Translation. For example, An American Translation* has “to do him good” (so also New American Bible), while the New English Bible and the Revised Standard Version have “for his good.”

It may be necessary in some languages to make please and for his own good more or less coordinate—for example, “each one of us should do for his fellow believer that which is good for him and that which will please him” or “… cause him to be happy.”

In order to build him up in the faith translates a noun phrase (literally “for building up”). Most commentators understand this as a reference to the man who is weak in faith (Moffatt “by building up his faith”; New American Bible “by building up his spirit”; the Jerusalem Bible translates both clauses by “help them to become stronger Christians”). However, the New English Bible applies this in general to the Christian community (“and will build up the common life”). In light of the context, however, the former interpretation is to be preferred.

This final purpose clause may require some special introduction based on a repetition of, or a reference to, what has just been said—for example, “we should do this in order to cause his faith to become strong” or “we should do this in order that he will become stronger in his believing.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .