Language-specific Insights

complete verse (John 1:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:28:

  • Uma: “All that happened in the town of Betania, at Yohanes’s baptizing-place on the other side of the Yordan river.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now all this happened in the town of Bethany which is on the other side of the river Jordan where John was baptizing.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “This happened at Betania on the other-side of the river Jordan where-Juan -was-baptizing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Where those people were questioning Juan was there at Betania which is on the other side/bank of the Jordan, which is that river in which he was baptizing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “All these words were spoken at the town called Bethany on the other side of the river Jordan which was where John was baptizing.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:29:

  • Uma: “The next day, Yohanes saw Yesus arrive coming towards him. He said to the people: ‘Look! Here comes the Lamb [lit., sheep’s child] that was prepared by God. He is the one who will be the redemptive sacrifice [lit., body substitute] who takes-away the sins of man.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The next day Yahiya saw Isa coming towards him. When he saw Isa, Yahiya said to the people who were there, ‘This is hep the one figuratively the substitute sheep that God gives to-be-made-a-sacrifice for mankind. This is the one who takes away the sin of all mankind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The next day after that John saw Jesus coming to him and John said to the people. ‘This is that person who is like a sacrificial young sheep whom God gives for by means of him the bad doings of mankind will be removed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The next day (lit. on its tomorrow), Juan saw Jesus coming and he said by-illustration, ‘There is the sheep that God gave to be offered-in-sacrifice to remove the sins of people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Next day, Juan saw Jesus approaching him. Seeing him he said, ‘There he is now, he who has been given by God, who is like a young of sheep which is used for sacrificing, because he is the one who will remove the sin of the people.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The next day John saw Jesus coming to where he was standing. He said, ‘that man coming here will be like a sacrifice, just like the lamb which is killed at the church for a sacrifice. For God has sent him to take a way the sins of the people all over the world.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:30:

  • Uma: “He is the one that I said the other day [lit., yesterday]. I said that he would come after me, but his power would surpass mine. Because before I was born, he already was.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This is hep the one I told you about, I said, ‘Someone will come after me. He is greater than I, for when I was not yet born he existed already beforehand.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘There is a person who will come later than me. He is greater than I because before I was born he already was.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He is the one I was-talking-about who will follow who is greater than I, because before I was born (lit. came-out), he already-existed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He is that one I meant when I said, you remember, there is coming next after me a person who is superior to me because before I was born he already existed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This is the one I spoke of when I said, ‘I came before him, but another man will come afterwards who is greater than I. Because before I was born, he already was living.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:31:

  • Uma: “At first the other day, I did not yet know that he was the Redeemer King. Yet my [reason for] coming here, [is] to baptize the Israel people with water and point out to them who the Redeemer King is.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “In the beginning I did not know as to who the person was coming after me,’ said Yahiya. ‘But I came to bathe people with water so that he would be made known to the tribe of Isra’il.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “At the beginning,’ said John, ‘I did not know who he was. The reason I baptize is so that our companion descendants of Israel might know that he would soon arrive.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Even I, I didn’t know previously who he was. But I came nevertheless to baptize-with water in order that he would be made-known to you who are descendants of Israel.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “In the past, even I myself, I didn’t know who was that one who would come, but this which I am doing now, which is baptizing here in the water, this is my causing him to be recognized/known by the nation of Israel.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I also did not know who was to be the Christ. But I was sent to baptize the people and to cause all the Jews to know who he was.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:32:

  • Uma: “There is also this testimony of Yohanes. He said: ‘At first I did not know that Yesus was the Redeemer King. But God ordered me to baptize people with water, and he said to me like this: ‘If you (sing.) should see the Holy Spirit come-down and land on a person, He will be the one who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit.’ So, I did see the Holy Spirit come-down from heaven in-the-shape-of a dove, land and come-to-rest on Yesus. That is why these are my words: Yesus, He is the Child of God.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I did not yet know him, but God who told me to bathe the people with water told me, he said, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit come down going to a certain person and remaining there with him, he is the one who will bathe mankind in a different way, he will send to them the Holy Spirit.’ ‘ Then Yahiya testified about Isa, he said, ‘I really saw the Holy Spirit come down from the sky like the shape of a dove alighting and remaining with Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And John said again, ‘I saw the Holy Spirit coming from heaven and coming down on Jesus like a dove. And he did not leave Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Previously, I-say, I didn’t know him. But then the one who sent me to go baptize-with water, he said, ‘The one whom you (sing.) see on-whom-my-Spirit -alights and remains, it is he who will baptize-with the Holy Spirit.’ And so it was that I saw the Holy Spirit like a pigeon/dove who came-down from heaven and stayed with/in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then Juan testified, saying, ‘I saw the Espiritu Santo. He was descending coming from heaven/sky, his physical-appearance being like a pigeon/dove, and he entered-to-indwell Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Again John spoke, ‘I saw the Holy Spirit come from heaven like a dove which came to where Jesus stood in order to accompany him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:33)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:33:

  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I wouldn’t have realized who he was, but God, the person who sent me to baptize said to me, ‘You will see my Spirit come down where the person is who will cause my Spirit to be in your hearts to rule you.'”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: ” . . . ‘You will see the Holy Spirit who will come down from heaven. The Holy Spirit will come to rest on a man. He is the one who will send the Holy Spirit to people, as if to say, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit instead of water.'”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “I didn’t know who he was at first, but the one who sent me said to me: ‘You are going to see the Great Spirit descend on a person. The Great Spirit will remain on him. He is the one who will cause my Great Spirit to enter into people’s hearts. That’s how he will baptize people.’ That’s what he told me.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “There is also this testimony of Yohanes. He said: ‘At first I did not know that Yesus was the Redeemer King. But God ordered me to baptize people with water, and he said to me like this: ‘If you (sing.) should see the Holy Spirit come-down and land on a person, He will be the one who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit.’ So, I did see the Holy Spirit come-down from heaven in-the-shape-of a dove, land and come-to-rest on Yesus. That is why these are my words: Yesus, He is the Child of God.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I did not yet know him, but God who told me to bathe the people with water told me, he said, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit come down going to a certain person and remaining there with him, he is the one who will bathe mankind in a different way, he will send to them the Holy Spirit.’ ‘ Then Yahiya testified about Isa, he said, ‘I really saw the Holy Spirit come down from the sky like the shape of a dove alighting and remaining with Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And at first,’ said John, ‘I did not yet know that he was the prophesied king, but God who is the one who sent me that I might baptize by means of water, he told me beforehand, he said, ‘If you see a person upon whom the Holy Spirit comes down and doesn’t leave him, this is the person who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Previously, I-say, I didn’t know him. But then the one who sent me to go baptize-with water, he said, ‘The one whom you (sing.) see on-whom-my-Spirit -alights and remains, it is he who will baptize-with the Holy Spirit.’ And so it was that I saw the Holy Spirit like a pigeon/dove who came-down from heaven and stayed with/in him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I didn’t know that he was the one. But God who sent me to baptize in water, he’s the one who said to me, ‘You will see the Espiritu Santo who will descend on a person and enter-to-indwell him. Well, that one, that person is the one who will baptize, the Espiritu Santo being what he baptizes with.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Until then I did not know who was the Christ. But when I was sent to baptize with water, God told me, ‘That man you see that the Holy Spirit arrives upon, he is that one who will cause that the people will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:34)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:34:

  • Uma: “There is also this testimony of Yohanes. He said: ‘At first I did not know that Yesus was the Redeemer King. But God ordered me to baptize people with water, and he said to me like this: ‘If you (sing.) should see the Holy Spirit come-down and land on a person, He will be the one who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit.’ So, I did see the Holy Spirit come-down from heaven in-the-shape-of a dove, land and come-to-rest on Yesus. That is why these are my words: Yesus, He is the Child of God.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I really saw it,’ said Yahiya, ‘therefore I can testify, very truly this Isa is the Son of God.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I saw him,’ said John, ‘and I tell you that he is the one who is the child of God.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That’s what I saw, so I confirm/verify to you that he is the Child of God.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I really saw it, therefore I am testifying that he is the Son of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Thus I saw. And I speak the truth that this one is the Son of God.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:35:

  • Uma: “The next day Yohanes was also there with his two disciples.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The following day Yahiya was again there at the other side of the river Jordan with two of his disciples.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “On the next day after that John was there again with two of his disciples,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The next day (lit. when it was again light), plural Juan were there and two of his disciples (lit. followers: pasolot).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When it was the next day, Juan was there again with two of his disciples.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The next day again John was there along with two of his learners.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)