demon

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated/transliterated in English as “demon” is translated in Central Mazahua as “the evil spirit(s) of the devil” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).

In Sissala it is translated with kaŋtɔŋ, which traditionally referred to “either a spirit of natural phenomena such as trees, rivers, stones, etc., or the spirit of a deceased person that has not been taken into the realm of the dead. Kaŋtɔŋ can be good or evil. Evil kaŋtɔŋ can bring much harm to people and are feared accordingly. A kaŋtɔŋ can also dwell in a person living on this earth. A person possessed by kaŋtɔŋ does not behave normally.” (Source: Regina Blass in Holzhausen 1991, p. 48f.)

In Umiray Dumaget Agta it is translated as hayup or “creature, animal, general term for any non-human creature, whether natural or supernatural.” Thomas Headland (in: Notes on Translation, September 1971, p. 17ff.) explains some more: “There are several types of supernatural creatures, or spirit beings which are designated by the generic term hayup. Just as we have several terms in English for various spirit beings (elves, fairies, goblins, demons, imps, pixies) so have the Dumagats. And just as you will find vast disagreement and vagueness among English informants as to the differences between pixies and imps, etc., so you will find that no two Dumagats will agree as to the form and function of their different spirit beings.” This term can also be used in a verb form: hayupen: “creatured” or “to be killed, made sick, or crazy by a spirit.

In Yala it is translated as yapri̍ija ɔdwɔ̄bi̍ or “bad Yaprija.” Yaprijas are traditional spirits that have a range presumed activities including giving or withholding gifts, giving and protecting children, causing death and disease and rewarding good behavior. (Source: Eugene Bunkowske in Notes on Translation 78/1980, p. 36ff.)

In Lamnso’ it is translated as aànyùyi jívirì: “lesser gods who disturb, bother, pester, or confuse a person.” (Source: Fanwong 2013, p. 93)

In Paasaal it is translated as gyɩŋbɔmɔ, “beings that are in the wild and can only be seen when they choose to reveal themselves to certain people. They can ‘capture’ humans and keep them in hiding while they train the person in herbalism and divination. After the training period, which can range from a week to many years, the ‘captured’ individual is released to go back into society as a healer and a diviner. The gyɩŋbɔmɔ can also be evil, striking humans with mental diseases and causing individuals to get lost in the wild. The Pasaale worldview about demons is like that of others of the language groups in the area, including the Northern Dagara [who use kɔ̃tɔmɛ with a similar meaning].” (Source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)

See also devil and formal pronoun: demons or Satan addressing Jesus.

complete verse (Galatians 2:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 2:18:

  • Uma: “If for example I have already abandoned my following the Law of Musa and after that I return again to following that Law, I really sin, relatives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But if I again follow/obey the law which I had rejected/turned-my-back-on and I say that the law ought to be followed/obeyed, na, it is clear that I am sinful because I broke/tresspassed the law.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if I return to the Law which I abandoned and I say that it is the proper way, I am showing then that it’s really true that I am a sinner because I have disobeyed the Law.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because the truth of it is, I show that I have sinned if I turn-to-face to follow again the law that I turned-my-back-on previously.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “However if we have abandoned this trail of our obeying of the laws, because we have now comprehended that it’s not that which can save people, and then we return again to it, well that truly is sin.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I have now said that the law doesn’t have power to take care of sin. Should it be that I reverse myself and say that the law has the force to do so, then it is not true that my sins were taken care of.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 2:18

Rebuild and tore down are figures of speech derived from the construction of buildings, but the Greek text does not specify what is being rebuilt or what was previously torn down. The reference may be (1) to the statutes of the Law which Paul had declared as no longer valid for the Christian (New American Bible “If … I were to build up the very things I had demolished”); (2) to the whole system of man being put right with God by means of obedience to the Law (New English Bible “If I start building up again a system which I have pulled down”; Phillips “But if I attempt to build again the whole structure of justification by the law”); or (3) to one’s favorable attitude toward the Jewish idea of being put right with God by means of law (Jerusalem Bible “If I were to return to a position I had already abandoned”).

Breaks the Law translates a Greek word which literally means “transgressor” or “law-breaker,” here used in its moral sense, one who disobeys the moral spirit of the law, and therefore practically equivalent to “wrongdoer,” “evil-doer,” or “sinner” in the ethical sense. In order to emphasize the ethical sense of “transgressor” in this context, one may say “I really am doing what is wrong,” or “I am really then a sinner.” This will serve to contrast actual sin from the sin mentioned in verse 17.

The point of Paul here is that contrary to the assertion that Christ is made an agent of sin, it is only when a person returns to the old Jewish system of works of law that he becomes a sinner in terms of the Law.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .