Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 John 3:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:20:

  • Uma: “If our hearts are not still/quiet because we think-about our wrongs, we can make-quiet our hearts, for God know all our life, and his love to us is bigger than our hearts that accuse-us-of-wrong.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Even if our (dual) liver says that we (dual) have sinned, our (dual) liver is peaceful because we (dual) know that God knows more/better than our (dual) liver knows because God knows everything.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “even though what is in our minds is: we are worthy to be punished. The reason we are not ashamed is because the judgment of God is more to be trusted than the judgment of our minds for He knows everything.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If that is how we love-one-another, that’s how we know that it’s true that we have been joined to God. And even if our minds accuse us, we can nonetheless cause-our minds -to-be-peaceful so that we will not be ashamed to pray to him. For we know that God’s thoughts are higher/more-important than our thoughts and he totally knows everything. He knows that we have been joined to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if in our mind/inner-being we are judging ourselves, because we are aware that our valuing isn’t in fact true, it would be good for us to remember that God is much higher/more-important than we are and he knows everything, even this which is in our mind/inner-being.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But if we are afraid that we do not do well what the word says, nevertheless it depends on what God says, not what we say. Because God himself knows what is done.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “we are his children, we should heed God rather than our thoughts. God knows our head-hearts, and (in his patience) he says that he has taken us as his children.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But what if our hearts fear, telling us we aren’t following the Word well. But anyway our hearts will rest in regards to God, because he has more strength, in that he knows more than our hearts. He knows everything.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we are not one-hearted in the presence of God, let us know-remember that God’s word is true. Let us know-remember also that not all is true what we think in our hearts. God knows all.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:21:

  • Uma: “So, relatives whom I love, if our hearts no longer accuse us of wrong, we are brave to face God,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore my beloved friends, if we (dual) know in our (dual) livers that we (dual) have no sin, we (dual) are not afraid to go into the presence of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since we know that He no longer has any reason to punish us, it’s possible that our trust in Him is very big when we pray to Him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore my friends, if our thoughts/minds no longer accuse us, we are brave to approach God in our praying to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “My dear ones, if there is nothing in ourselves which our mind/inner-being is judging, of course we will have no fear when we approach God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now, my dear brethren, if we are not afraid then we can be brave to pray to God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You whom I love, if in our head-hearts we know that we are not guilty, we are not afraid of God.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “So if our hearts tell us that we are following God well, then we won’t fear to talk to God.”
  • Tzotzil: “You that I love, if we are one-hearted in the presence of God, thus we do not fear to talk to him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:22:

  • Uma: “And whatever we request he will give us, for we follow his commands and we do what makes his heart happy.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whatever we (dual) ask God for we (dual) will receive because we (dual) follow/obey his commands and we (dual) do what pleases him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He will give us what we ask for since we obey His commands and we do what He wants.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And whatever we request from him, he will give it because we are obeying his commands and we are doing what pleases/satisfies him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well therein, whatever we will request from him, it’s certain we can receive it, because we are obeying his commands and we are doing what pleases him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Whenever we ask something from God, God will give what we want because we obey the word he commands and we do what he approves of.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And whatever we ask him, he will give it, because we do what he commands and what he likes.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And we receive all that we ask for, because we do his will and also we do what he favors (looks well on).”
  • Tzotzil: “Because we obey his commands, because we do what his heart wants, therefore he gives us all that we ask him.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:23:

  • Uma: “This is his command(s): we believe in Yesus Kristus his Child, and we love one another, according to what he has commanded us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This he commanded to us (incl.), that we (dual) should trust in his Son, Isa Almasi, and we (incl.) should also love each other as Almasi commanded us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What He commands us (incl.) is: it’s necessary that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and that each one of us loves our companions just as Jesus also commanded long ago.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And this is what he commanded us: we must believe in his Child who is Jesu Cristo and love-one-another, because this just the same is what Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is what he has commanded, that we will believe-in/obey and trust-in/rely-on his Son Jesu-Cristo, and that we value one another like this Jesu-Cristo commanded us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This word which God commands is that we believe Jesus Christ his Son and we do what he commands, in that each one of us loves all our fellow believers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And this is what he commands us to do: We should trust in his son Jesus Christ and love our fellows each of us the other like he commands us to do.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “And here is his command that we believe God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and we love one another, as he told us.”
  • Tzotzil: “Thus is God’s command that we believe the word of his Son, that is Jesus Christ. Thus is his command also that we love one anther.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 3:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 3:24:

  • Uma: “People who follow God’s commands, they stay in harmony with him, and he with them. This is a sign so that we know God stays in harmony with us, because he has given us his Spirit.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Anybody who follows/obeys the commands of God is one with God and God stays/remains with him. We (dual) know that we are one with God because of the Holy Spirit that he caused to live in our (dual) livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Anyone who obeys the commands of God has become one with God and God lives in him. We know that God lives here in us (incl.) for we have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who obeys the commands of God, he remains in God and God also remains in him. The way-we-know that God remains in us, the Holy Spirit whom God gave is in us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well he who is obedient to the commands of God, his life really is holding fast to God, and as for God, he indeed is holding fast to him. And as for this help to us by the Espiritu Santo whom he caused to indwell our body, that is how we can comprehend that God is holding fast to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All those who obey what God commands are walkers-with-God. How we know that we walk with God is because of the Holy Spirit who was sent to us.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “If we are doing what he commands, we are constantly with God, and God is constantly with us. And we know that he is constantly with us because he has given us his Spirit.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Whoever does what he says, lives with God, and God also resides in his heart. And we know that we live with God because he gave us his good Spirit.”
  • Tzotzil: Because if we obey his commands, we are in his presence. God is in our hearts. Because is in our hearts the Holy Spirit that God has given us, therefore we know that God is in our hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:2:

  • Uma: “This is a sign so that we know who is controlled by the Spirit which is from God: all people who admit-confess that Yesus is the Redeemer King who became a man/human, those people are-children of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Like this you can recognize the people that have God’s Spirit: whoever says that Isa Almasi came to the world in the body of a human/mankind, that person has God’s Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Any spirit which says that Jesus, the one God chose to rule, has become human, that spirit comes from God. By means of this, you can perceive the spirit which comes from God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The way-that-you -can-distinguish whether the Holy Spirit is the source of what they are saying is this: if they acknowledge that Jesus is the Cristo who became a person, the Spirit of God is where it is from.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Like this is how you can know if it is the Espiritu Santo who was caused to indwell (us) by God who really is the one inspiring (lit.putting it in the mind of) a person. The one who testifies that as for Jesu-Cristo, he really became a real human and came down here to the world, it’s certain that the Espiritu Santo of God is inspiring him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I will tell you how you can know whether it is true that the Holy Spirit put into the person’s mind the words he speaks or not. Everyone who says that Jesus Christ truly became human, that is one who truly speaks God’s word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “This is how we may know if the Spirit of God is in the head-heart of a person: Everyone who says that Jesus Christ is God and he was born a man on this earth, we know that the Spirit of God is in his head-heart.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “We must know which word is really God’s Word. If it says that God’s chosen-One became a person and he is Jesus Christ, that is really the Word of God.”
  • Tzotzil: “I will tell you how it is if we have received the Spirit of God. If plainly we say ‘Jesus Christ has come and took his body here in the world (became a person),’ we have received the Spirit of God for sure.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:3:

  • Uma: “All people who don’t admit-confess that Yesus is that Redeemer King, they are not children of God. Those people are controlled by the influence/spirit that is from the Enemy of Kristus. You have heard the teaching that says that the Enemy of Kristus will arrive, and at this time he is already in the world.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But whoever says that Almasi did not come in the body of a human/mankind, that person does not have God’s Spirit. But/instead it is seen in him that he follows the mind of the Opposing Almasi. You have been informed hep that this Opposing Almasi will come and now many people in the world follow the mind of the Opposing Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, if there is a spirit who says that Jesus, the one chosen of God, did not become a human, then that spirit does not come from God, but rather it comes from the enemy of Christ. You have already heard that there have appeared spirits which come from the enemy of Christ, and I tell you that they are now here in the world.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if they don’t acknowledge that Jesus is the Cristo who became a person, it is not the Spirit of God who is in them, but rather the thoughts that are the same as the One-who-Opposes Cristo. You have been hearing that he will come and already that which is opposing Cristo is now being taught.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But as for the one who gives out that Jesus didn’t become a real human, it’s certain that it is not the Espiritu Santo of God who is putting in his mind what he will say. On the contrary, the truth is, it’s the inspiring by this opponent of Cristo, he whom you were told would come. And even now/today, there is opposition like this to Cristo here now in this world.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But all who say that Jesus Christ did not become a human, then they do not walk with the Holy Spirit, rather it is the word of the enemy of Christ. And you have heard that it will come to be that the words of liars will spread through the earth. And now this word is spreading.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person who does not say that Jesus Christ is God and he was born a man on this earth, the Spirit of God is not in his head-heart. He thinks like the person who does contrary to Christ. You have already heard that the person is coming who does contrary to Christ, and now that person is already in this world.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “But whoever says that Jesus Christ is not God’s Chosen-One, and denies that he became a person, but then he doesn’t speak the Word of God. But he received the word of Christ’s enemy. And his word is a lie. We have heard that his word which is a lie was coming to the world, and now it has come.”
  • Tzotzil: “If we say ‘Jesus Christ did not come and take his body here in the world,’ we have not received the Spirit of God for sure. We are of the same mind/heart with the enemy of Christ. You have heard that he is coming. He is already here in the world.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (1 John 4:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:4:

  • Uma: “But you, my children, you are-children of God, and you have defeated those lying prophets, for the Influence/Spirit [lit., clearness; sometimes used to refer to the Holy Spirit] that is in your hearts is more powerful than the influence/spirit that is in the hearts of those who do not believe in the Lord.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But, my children-grandchildren, you belong to God hep. The people who pretend to be prophets have been defeated by you because they were not able to carry-you-along/influence-you to follow their teaching. They are defeated by you because God’s Spirit in your livers is more powerful than the spirit in the people who do not follow/obey God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you, my children, you now belong to God, and you have overcome these false spirits, for God who lives in us (incl.) is more powerful than Satan who lives in the people here on the earth who are enemies of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But as for you my children, you are God’s children, and you have defeated those liars, because (reassurance part.) they have not deceived you. For the Spirit of God who is in you is more important/powerful than Satanas who rules them who don’t believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “As for you, who are like my children, you are now children of God. And you have now been able to have victory over those liars who claim-falsely-to-be-prophets. You have been able to have victory over them now because the Espiritu Santo who is indwelling your body is far more supernaturally-powerful, far more than that evil-one/spirit who is Satanas who is inspiring people who haven’t submitted to God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my children, now you are God’s people. Therefore you have been victorious over the lying prophets. Because the Holy Spirit with whom you walk is more powerful than the devil who walks with the people here on earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “My little children, we are God’s children, and we have already won out by not believing the words of those people who lie saying they speak God’s word. We have won out because God who is with us has greater authority than the deceiver who is with the people whose heads sit (who are concerned) only about what happens on this earth.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “My dear children, we are God’s children. And now we have overcome the deceiver prophets, because he with whom we live is stronger than God’s enemy who rules the world.”
  • Tzotzil: “My children, we are God’s children. Therefore have been conquered by us those who think wrongly they say God’s word. Because very great power has God that is here in our hearts. No power has the devil that is there in their hearts.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)