complete verse (John 9:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 9:23:

  • Uma: “That is why his parents said: ‘He is big now, ask him yourself.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore his parents said hep, ‘Ask him. He is no longer a child.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore his parents said, ‘He is already an adult; you ask him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That’s what they said, because they were afraid of the rulers of the Jews. Because they had already made-an-agreement that if anyone said that Jesus was the Messiah, he wouldn’t be counted among his fellow Jews.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That’s why the reply of his parents was like that, saying, ‘After all he’s no longer a child. He’s the one for you to ask.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore these old people said, ‘Ask him yourselves. Now he is a big man, he will tell you how come.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 9:23

The man’s parents are afraid to answer in his behalf, for fear that they themselves would be put out of the synagogue.

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 .