saint

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The Greek that is translated as “saint” in English is rendered into Highland Puebla Nahuatl as “one with a clean hearts,” into Northwestern Dinka as “one with a white hearts,” and into Western Kanjobal as “person of prayer.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 146)

Other translations include:

fornication, sexual immorality

The Greek that is translated as “sexual immorality” or “fornication” or similar is translated much more specifically in some languages. Morelos Nahuatl has “let a man not yield himself to another woman except only to his wife. Also let a woman not yield herself to another man except only to her husband” or in Lalana Chinantec as “not proper for them to mix themselves with other women. The same is true of women for other men also.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Low German as Hurenkram or “things related to prostitution (and/or sleeping around)” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

complete verse (Ephesians 5:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ephesians 5:3:

  • Uma: “But let there not be any who commit adultery or do other dirty deeds or covet things of others. Deeds like that are not appropriate for us who are the portion of God. It is better that things like that not be talked about in our midst.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You are God’s people, therefore as far as adultery, immorality and cravings/greed is concerned it is not fitting for you even to mention it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since you are subjects of God, it’s necessary that you are not greedy, don’t do anything that’s filthy, don’t you meddle with someone who’s not your spouse; even to think or talk about it, don’t you do it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore you shouldn’t commit-immorality-with (anyone) and do other kinds of filthiness. Neither should you be-greedy for what is not yours. Because even the relating only of evil-things like those, it isn’t fitting for you who are God’s people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But, because you are now the people of God, you really need to regard-as-dirty these kinds of behavior, all kinds of immoral-behavior with one not your spouse, habits or thoughts which are disgusting, and envy/desire for whatever belongings can be obtained here in the world. Hopefully these things won’t even enter your minds/inner-being.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “You now are in the hand of God. Therefore let not immorality come to your hearts. Do not do any kind of evil. Do not want to just keep on making your money increase.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Ephesians 5:3

This verse is closely parallel with Colossians 3.5, where all three nouns are also used: sexual immorality, indecency, greed. The first Greek word (Revised Standard Version “fornication”) is defined by Arndt and Gingrich (A&G) as “every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse.” The second one, “impurity” (Revised Standard Version), is usually associated with sexual sins (see its use with “fornication” in Rom 1.24; 2 Cor 12.21; Gal 5.19; Col 3.5; 1 Thes 4.7). Perhaps it means “perversion.” It is strange that greed should be included in a list that has to do with sexual sins, but the usual meaning of the Greek word (see 4.19) is “covetousness, greed, desire,” and Lightfoot, Murray, and Barth take that to be the meaning here. C. F. D. Moule in his commentary on Colossians 3.5, defines it as “ruthless and aggressive self-seeking.” But Beare objects that here it must mean something like “adultery” or “sensual self-indulgence”; likewise Westcott: “sensual indulgement at the cost of others” (also Abbott and Salmond). Moffatt, New American Bible, Translator’s New Testament translate “lust”; Jerusalem Bible “promiscuity.” But most translations (Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, and others) have the idea of greed, covetousness.

Sexual immorality must sometimes be defined in more or less concrete terms, for example, “having sexual intercourse with someone who is not one’s spouse.” The term indecency likewise refers to sexual sin, but it is a somewhat stronger term and may often be translated in an idiomatic manner, for example, “to live like a dog” or “to act like a rooster” or “to dirty one’s genitals.” Greed may be defined in this same type of context as “always desiring what others have” or “always wanting to take away from others what they have.”

Should even be mentioned: is this to be taken strictly in the sense that the subject should never arise, not even to condemn these sins? That would seem rather improbable, and the meaning more likely is that not even rumors about these kinds of sins in the Christian fellowship should ever circulate; their conduct should be so spotless that there would not be a chance that any rumor or gossip about sexual misconduct would ever get started. The expression may be satisfactorily rendered as “no one should ever have a reason to talk about any of you ever doing such things.”

In Greek the verse ends with “as is fitting among saints” (Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation places this first: Since you are God’s people, it is not right. But in many languages, of course, the proper place for this would be at the end of the verse: “This would not be right, since you are God’s children.” Jerusalem Bible “this would hardly become the saints!” New International Version “improper.” The meaning is that which is not morally appropriate or suitable.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .