Language-specific Insights

complete verse (John 3:33)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:33:

  • Uma: “But whoever believes his words says: ‘The word of God is definitely true.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If somebody believes his teaching, he confesses/says-it-is-true because-of/by this, that all God says/said is really true.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However whoever does receive this can testify that what God says is true.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But those who believe, they confirm/verify that God’s words are true,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But that one who has believed this which he is testifying, that one is also testifying that as for God, what he says is wholly true.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But whoever believes him affirms that it is true what God says about him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 3:34)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:34:

  • Uma: “Because he is the one sent by God to utter his words, and God gave him the Holy Spirit without measure.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Almasi was sent here by God, and that is what he speaks, the word/message of God, for the Spirit of God is given to him, (of) the Spirit of God there is really nothing lacking for/in Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for Jesus, the one sent by God, he tells what God causes him to say, because as for God, he has thoroughly inspired Jesus with the Holy Spirit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because it is those-very words of God that the one God sent is saying. Because he is the one to whom God gave all the power of his Spirit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because that one who was sent by God, of course he says nothing other than that which God causes to be said, because he has the Espiritu Santo now with him with no ending to his help.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This Jesus was sent by God and he speaks the word of God. And the Holy Spirit empowers Jesus without limit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 3:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:35:

  • Uma: “God the Father loves his Child, and has given him all his power.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “God really loves his Son and he has given him authority over everything.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Very big in the breath of our Father God is his son Jesus. And he has entrusted to him the rule over everything.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because God the Father, he loves his Child, and he turned-over everything to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The Son is really held dear by the Father. And he has handed all things over to him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The Father loves his Son and gave him the power to rule all things.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 3:36)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:36:

  • Uma: “People who believe in that Child, they receive good life until forever. People who do not submit to that Child, they do not receive life. They instead receive the anger of God until forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Whoever trusts in the Son of God lives forever. But those who do not trust and follow the Son of God, have no life forever. Even more so, God’s wrath remains with him forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Whoever believes in the son of God, he will be given life forever. Whoever does not obey the commands of the son of God, he will not be given life forever but rather God’s anger toward him will be forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever obeys/believes in his Child, he will have life that has no end, but the one who doesn’t obey (different word) his Child, this life is not in him, but rather God will punish-him forever.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That one who believes-in/obeys and trusts-in/relies-on this Son of God, he now has life which has no ending. But as for that one who does not believe-in/obey this Son, this life cannot become his. It’s certain he can’t arrive there in that good-situation which is in heaven/sky. The anger of God is still piercing him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who believes in the Son of God has the new life forever. But he who does not believe in the Son of God will not have the new life, rather he will suffer the punishment God gives out.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 4:1)

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

  • Uma: “The Parisi people heard that more and more people were going asking Yesus to baptize them becoming his followers, with the result that number of followers of Yesus surpassed the followers of Yohanes the Baptizer.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the Pariseo heard that many more people were reportedly becoming disciples of Isa and bathed by him than those that became disciples of Yahiya. (” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Pharisees heard the news that Jesus was making more disciples and Jesus was baptizing more people than John was; however Jesus himself wasn’t baptizing, but it was his disciples. And when Jesus also heard this news he left the province of Judea and he returned to the province of Galilee.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The Pharisees, they heard-reported that Jesus was reportedly persuading and baptizing more disciples than Juan.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The Pariseo got news that many were the people who were being drawn to and baptised by Jesus, many more than to Juan.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The Pharisees knew that many learners were gathered by Jesus and that he baptized many more people than John.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You whom I love, do not believe the words of just anybody who says that the Spirit of God is in his head-heart, but rather test them if the Spirit of God is in their head-hearts in order for them to speak true words. Many people are going about in this world lying saying they are proclaiming God’s word.”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “Loved ones, we can’t believe all whatever word is said to be God’s Word. But you must taste (try out) the words, so that you will know if a word is truly the Word of God, or not. Because many deceiver prophets (word-passers) are walking here in the world.”
  • Tzotzil: “You that I love, do not believe whatever word you hear. Be wise, listen if it is the same as God’s word. Because there are many here in the world who think wrongly they are saying God’s word.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (John 4:2)

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

  • Uma: “(Really, it was not Yesus who baptized, it was his disciples who baptized.)” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the truth is, Isa did not bathe the people but only his disciples (bathed people).)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Pharisees heard the news that Jesus was making more disciples and Jesus was baptizing more people than John was; however Jesus himself wasn’t baptizing, but it was his disciples. And when Jesus also heard this news he left the province of Judea and he returned to the province of Galilee.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the truth of it was, it wasn’t Jesus who was baptizing but rather his disciples only.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “(But the truth is, it wasn’t Jesus who was baptizing, but on the contrary it was those disciples of his.)” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But Jesus himself did not baptize, rather his learners baptized the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 4:3)

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

  • Uma: “So, when Yesus knew that the Parisi people had heard that news, he went out from Yudea land returning to Galilea land.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When Isa knew about this talk, he left with his disciples from Yahudiya returning to the place Jalil.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Pharisees heard the news that Jesus was making more disciples and Jesus was baptizing more people than John was; however Jesus himself wasn’t baptizing, but it was his disciples. And when Jesus also heard this news he left the province of Judea and he returned to the province of Galilee.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When plural Jesus came-to-know that that’s what the Pharisees had heard-reported, they left Judea in order to return to Galilea.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Jesus knew that, he left Judea. He and his disciples went home to Galilea.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Knowing that it was known what he was doing, Jesus left Judea to go to Galilee.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 4:4)

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

  • Uma: “In that trip, he had to pass-through Samaria land.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They had to go through the place/country Samariya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And while Jesus and company were returning, it was necessary that they go through the province of Samaria.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It was necessary that they walk through the region-encompassed by Samaria,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But on that journey of theirs, it was necessary to go by way of Samaria.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Leaving, it was necessary that they pass through the land of Samaria.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)