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.

judge (noun)

The Greek that is translated as “judge” in English is translated in Noongar as birdiyar djonanykarinyang or “boss of testing/judgement” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also judge.

complete verse (Luke 11:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 11:19:

  • Noongar: “If I drive them out that way, how do your disciples drive them out? Your own disciples show that you are wrong!” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But there are also your own companions who expel demons. With what authority do your companions expel demons. Surely with the authority of God. So, from the deeds of your own companions, it is clear that your false-charges are wrong.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If this is true, with whose power do your disciples drive out demons? They will be the ones who say that your thinking is at fault.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If the power that I use to drive away demons really comes from Satan, then where does the power that your companions use to drive away demons, come from? By means of the activity of your disciples, it can be known that you are mistaken.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If that is true, how then have your disciples been causing-evil-spirits -to-leave? Even they, they will confirm that what you are saying is mistaken!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But supposing it’s true that I drive out evil spirits by the ability/means of Beelzebub, well where does the ability come from of your followers who can also drive out evil spirits? They are the ones who can testify that you have really made a mistake.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kabwa: “Well, if it is true that, me I chase out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, now your students they chase out [demons] by the authority of whom?”
  • Suba-Simbiti: “But if me I chase out a demon by the authority of Beelzebul, your students also chase out demons by the authority of Beelzebul?” (Source for this and above: R.M. Mészároš in Journal of Translation 18/2022, p. 115ff. )

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Luke 11:19

Exegesis:

ei de egō ‘but if I….’ de marks here the shift to a different argument. egō is emphatic and contrasts with hoi huioi humōn ‘your sons,’ see next note.

hoi huioi humōn en tini ekballousin ‘by whom do your sons cast out (demons)?’ hoi huioi humōn (emphatic by virtue of its position at the beginning of the clause) means ‘your own people’ i.e. who practice exorcism.

dia touto autoi humōn kritai esontai ‘because of this they shall be your judges.’ touto refers to the fact that there are also Jewish exorcists (cf. 9.49; Acts 19.13), who know that they cannot exorcize demons with the help of Beelzebul. The clause means that their own exorcists are the people to judge their opinion about Jesus to be untrue, with the undertone that this will result in their condemnation.

kritēs ‘judge,’ used here in a non-technical sense.

Translation:

And, preferably, ‘again,’ ‘what is more,’ ‘at the same time,’ or another expression marking a new part of the argument.

If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, or, avoiding repetition, “if I do that” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation), “if this is how I drive them out” (Good News Translation).

Your sons, or, “your own people” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation, New English Bible), “your own followers” (Good News Translation).

They shall be your judges, or, ‘the ones who judge/condemn you’; or better to emphasize the subject, ‘it is they who will declare you guilty,’ ‘they themselves will show/say that you are wrong.’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.