The Greek that is transliterated “Cephas” in English — and is an alternative name for Peter — is transliterated in Mandarin Chinese Protestant translations as jīfǎ (traditional Chinese: 磯法, simplified Chinese: 矶法). The first character jī (磯 / 矶) is not only chosen because of its sound but also because of its meaning: “rock,” corresponding to the meaning of the Aramaic kēp̄ā (כֵּיפָא), to which the Greek Kēphâs (Κηφᾶς) refers and also alluding to Jesus’ proclamation in Matthew 16:18 (see Peter – rock).
Note that Catholic Chinese versions don’t follow the English pronunciation of “Cephas” with its opening [s] sound. They use kēfǎ (刻法) transliterating the [k] sound from the Aramaic and Greek. Kēfǎ does not carry the additional meaning of “rock.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
In the Neo-Aramaic language of Assyrian the terms used for both “Peter” (English transliteration of the Greek “πετρος”) and “Cephas” are identical (كِيپَا, pronounced kēpā). (Source: Ken Bunge)
The passage in John 1:42 (“You are to be called Cephas (which is translated Peter)” in English) is solved by various translations like this: “‘I am going to name you Cephas.’ Cephas means ‘Peter.’ Both mean ‘rock.'” (Ojitlán Chinantec), “I am naming you Cephas. ‘Cephas’ in the Jews’ language, ‘Peter’ in the Greek language, the meaning being ‘stone’.” (Alekano), “You will become known as Cephas,’ he said, which in our language means ‘rock.'” (Chol), or “You will be called Cephas and also Peter.” Tenango Otomi. (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
The Greek that is typically translated as “life” in English is translated in Warao as “your obojona must come out new.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. )
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “world” in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese with shìjiè (世界). While shìjiè is now the commonly used term for “world” in Chinese, it was popularized as such by Chinese Bible translations. (Source: Mak 2017, p. 241ff.)
The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 3:22:
Uma: “Apolos, Petrus, me, God has given all to you to help you. He has given you new life, he has released you from death. All that is in this world, all that happens at this time, all that will happen in the future, he has arranged to give you goodness [salvation]. All this is your portion, relatives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “I and Apollos and Petros also we (excl.) have been made by God to be your servants for your good. And even this world and all that will happen in the future and that happens now, and even life and death, all this has been given by God for your good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for us, Paul and Apollos and Peter also, God has made us to be your servants so that you might be better off. Even the whole world and those things which will take place in the future, and those things which are taking place now, and even your life and your death, God has given all of these things so that you might be better off.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Apollos and Pedro and I belong to you, because God has called/invited us (excl.) to serve you. Even this world and your living and your dying and even also the day today (i.e. present day) and the future days, God has given all to you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For example, as for teachers, like myself, Apolos, and Pedro, God has given (them) to you for the benefit of you all. The same with all things. This world, life, death, things now and in the future, they really are all for your benefit.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “I, Paul, with Apollos, with also Peter, we live to help you. And now there is our life, there is death, and what we see in the days we are living in now, and also that which we see in the coming days, all that we see exists in order to do good for you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Translators should notice before going any farther that there will be a second turn in Paul’s thought in verse 23:
not “I belong to Paul…”
but “everything belongs to you”
nevertheless “you belong to Christ….”
Revised English Bible solves this problem by making verse 22 a parenthesis, the end of which is marked by the repetition of “everything is yours.”
Good News Bible‘s translation reflects a more natural English way of grouping the series of nouns in the Greek, which are connected by a word that is literally “or” or “and” (Good News Bible). The semicolon in Good News Bible puts these nouns into two groups. Translators need to decide how their languages would naturally show these two main groups.
Most modern translations use “Peter” (Good News Bible) instead of Cephas for the sake of consistency and to keep the reader from becoming confused. The original readers would have known that Cephas was the same person as Peter, but most modern readers are unaware of this fact.
Note that the world here has a good or at least neutral sense, not a bad sense as in verse 19.
There is no difference between “all things are yours” in verse 21 and all are yours in this verse. In some languages it may be more effective to repeat the same expression.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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