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The Greek term that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

In San Blas Kuna it is rendered as “help the heart,” in Laka, it is “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver,” in Huautla Mazatec the back-translation of the employed term is “lift out on behalf of,” in Anuak, it is “have life because of,” in Central Mazahua “be healed in the heart,” in Baoulé “save one’s head” (meaning to rescue a person in the fullest sense), in Guerrero Amuzgo “come out well,” in Northwestern Dinka “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source: Bratcher / Nida), and in Noongar barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In South Bolivian Quechua it is “make to escape” and in Highland Puebla Nahuatl, it is “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand.” (Source: Nida 1947, p. 222.)

See also salvation.

complete verse (2 Corinthians 12:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 12:14:

  • Uma: “Listen well! I am now planning to visit you the third time. And I won’t request anything of you. What I seek is not your stuff, it is your hearts I seek, so that you love me. For it is not children who seek food for their parents, it is parents who seek food for their children.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am ready to come and visit you and this is the third time I am ready to come visit you. But like before I will still not ask money from you. It is not your money that I am after but your love. It is not the children hep that should care/provide for their parents but the parents should care/provide for their children, and you are like my children.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I’m already preparing to come to visit you and this will be my third visit there to you. And just like at first, it is not possible that I will ask any money from you; I do not want your money, but rather I want that you should hold me precious in your breath. I became your father for by means of me, you believed in God. And it’s not allowable for a father to ask for things from his children, but rather, the ones who ask for things are the children.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I am ready now to go visit you again, and this will be my third going there. I am not going to ask-you -to-support-me, for what I covet is not your possessions but rather you yourselves. Because you are like my children, and it is not the children who save-up money for their parents but rather the opposite.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well now, if it works out, this will be my third visit to you. And, just like in the past, I will not bother you with my needs. For it’s not your possessions I need, but rather it’s really you yourselves. I want to firmly-establish you in far-from-ordinary believing/obeying. For what you are likened to is my children in believing. Well is it not so that it’s not the children who work-diligently for the means-to-look-after the parents, but rather the parents are the ones who work-diligently for their children?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now again I want to go there for the third time to see you. But not a bit of money will I ask from you when I go there. I only ask that you love me. Because the father endeavors to hunt for money to care for his children. It isn’t that the children take care of him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:14

Here translates the Greek word “behold” (so King James Version, Reina-Valera revisada, Nouvelle version Segond révisée). This single Greek word is used to emphasize the importance of what Paul is about to say. Revised Standard Version does not completely capture the force of the Greek, and Good News Translation does not even attempt to translate this Greek word. Many languages will have some way of emphasizing or drawing attention to the importance of what is about to be said.

The words for the third time I am ready to come to you do not mean that twice before Paul was ready to come and did not come, as the Good News Translation translation also seems to suggest. Rather, Paul has already gone twice before to Corinth, and now he is ready to make a third trip (see also 13.1 and comments). Revised English Bible says “I am now getting ready to pay you a third visit.” In some languages it may even be necessary to use two separate sentences and say something like “I have already been with you twice. Now I am ready to come to you a third time.”

And I will not be a burden: Paul did not accept financial help from the Corinthian Christians during his past visits, and he will continue to refuse material help from them (see 11.9 and 12.13). Some languages may require the addition of the word “still,” as in Contemporary English Version, which says “But I still won’t make a burden of myself.” And the idea of being a burden may have to be translated more explicitly as “I do not intend to cripple you with expenses” (Knox). In some cases the conjunction “but” may fit better to introduce this clause, since it may be expected that Paul would require some hospitality.

For I seek not what is yours but you: the words what is yours refer to the Corinthian Christians’ money (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). What Paul is saying is that he does not want the things that belong to the people in Corinth, but he wants them. However, in many languages it will be awkward or possibly misleading to translate literally either “I want … you” or “I seek … you.” One language finds it necessary to translate “I am coming to help you; I am not trying to get your money.”

For children ought not to lay up for their parents, but parents for their children: the implicit point of comparison is that Paul is the spiritual parent to the Corinthian “children” (see 1 Cor 4.15). The verb translated lay up gives the idea of setting something aside for future use (see Matt 6.19). It has been translated “make provision for” (Revised English Bible) and “save up for” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Anchor Bible, and Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .