glorify (reveal God's glory to people)

For the translation of the Greek that is translated into English as “glory” or “glorify” into Waama, five categories were found that were all translated differently. (See also raised to glory, glorify (God’s name), glory (honor, raise, approval), glory (of God or Jesus).)

“One group relates to the Greek verb that means ‘to show, make known or reveal God’s glory to people.’ The word ‘glory’ here retains the same sense described in the first group. (See glory (of God or Jesus))

“[Here] we used the expressions ‘show (the Father’s) greatness,’ ’cause the people to recognize that God is great,” “make his greatness obvious, apparent.’

“John 14:13, for example, ‘that the Father may be glorified,’ is rendered as ‘so that I can show the people the greatness of my Father.’ On one occasion (John 17:10 ‘I am glorified in them’), we used ‘because of them people saw my greatness.’

  • John 14:13 ‘Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified.’
  • John 17:1 ‘Father, … glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee.’

“Other occurrences: John 11:4, 12:23, 13:31-32 (5), 15:8, 17:4-5 (2), 17:10.”

(Source: Kathrin Brückner in Notes on Translation 2/1988, p. 41-46).

form of address between the persons of the Trinity

In Hindi a differentiation is made between the way that the different persons of the Trinity are addressed by a regular person or by another person of the Trinity. When Jesus addresses God the Father or when God the Father addresses Jesus, a familiar form of address is used, unlike the way that any of them would be addressed with a honorific (pl.) form by anyone else.

Source: C.S. Thoburn in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 180ff.

complete verse (John 17:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 17:4:

  • Uma: “In this world I showed the bigness of your life, Father, I have completed the work which you gave me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I have made you great/honored you here in the world, for I have finished now the work you have given me to do.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Here on the earth I have shown your great power, because the works that you commanded me I have finished them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I have been showing your (sing.) godhood in this world, because I absolutely fulfilled/obeyed what you (sing.) gave-me -to-do.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I have now shown your glory here under the heavens for I have now completed all you are causing me to do.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I caused the people here on earth to know that you are the greatest. I finished the work you ordered me to do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 17:4

I have shown your glory, (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) is rendered “I glorified you” by most translators; Goodspeed and New American Bible make a different emphasis (Goodspeed “I have done honor to you”; and New American Bible “I have given you glory”). Once more the choice is between the meaning “give glory to” and “reveal the glory of.” In the light of the whole context of this prayer (note especially verse 6 I have made you known), the meaning “to reveal the glory of” is more appropriate.

The second clause, I have finished the work you gave me to do, is more closely tied to the first clause, I showed your glory on earth, than may be indicated in Good News Translation. These are not two separate actions. Rather the second clause indicates the means by which God’s glory was revealed, that is, “by finishing the work you gave me to do.” Note New English Bible “I have glorified thee on earth by completing the work which thou gavest me to do” and New American Bible “I have given you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “I have made known your glory on earth; for I have accomplished the task which you gave me.”

The verbs have shown and have finished are in the aorist tense in Greek, and so point to Jesus’ work as already accomplished. The use of the aorist may reflect either Jesus’ own certainty that his end was at hand or the temporal perspective of the Gospel writer.

Certain complications are involved in translating I have finished the work you gave me to do. Work might conceivably refer only to physical activity, and in some languages one cannot speak of “giving work.” Therefore one may need to restructure the second part of verse 4 to read “I finished doing what you told me to do.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .