peace (inner peace)

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated into English as “peace” (or “at ease”) is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)


“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

See also peace (absence of strife) and this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (Luke 11:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 11:21:

  • Noongar: “‘When a strong man prepares his spears to protect his house, then all his things stay safe.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘A demon may be compared to a strong person. If that strong person guards his house with his weapons [lit., “war goods”], nothing happens to the contents of his house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘For example if a person is strong and in weapons/is armed is watching his house his possessions are not in danger.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus caused people to understand that he was much more powerful than Satan, ruler of the demons. Jesus said, ‘If there is a strong person who is completely armed, and he guards over his house, no one can take away from him his possessions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Satanas can be compared to a strong person who is armed. If he is guarding his house, no one will be-able-to-steal his possessions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For as long as a person who is strong and armed with bladed-weapons will guard his house, of course his belongings won’t easily be lost-permanently.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 11:21

Exegesis:

hotan ho ischuros ‘when the strong one, or, a strong man….’ The former is preferable because in the present context ho ischuros is best understood as a reference to Satan.

kathōplismenos ‘fully armed,’ apposition to ho ischuros.

phulassē tēn heautou aulēn ‘guards his own house.’

aulē (also 22.55) ‘courtyard’ (22.55), ‘farm,’ ‘house,’ ‘premises,’ ‘dwelling’ (here).

en eirēnē estin ta huparchonta autou ‘his possessions are in peace,’ i.e. are safe. For ta huparchonta cf. on 8.3.

Translation:

Fully armed, or, ‘equipped with (all) his weapons.’ Some renderings of ‘arms’ are, ‘fighting-things’ (Sranan Tongo), ‘that-which-hits’ (Toraja-Sa’dan), ‘equipment/tools of war’ (Tae,’ Trukese), or the name of the most common kind of weapons, e.g. ‘arrows’ (Ekari). One older version employed an existent phrase for ‘weapons,’ lit. ‘a man’s equipment,’ which later was discovered to be also in use as a veiled expression for ‘penis’!

Palace, preferably, ‘dwelling,’ ‘house,’ or ‘premises’ (rendered ‘place-of-the-house’ in Javanese, Balinese, and ‘by the side of the house’ in Toraja-Sa’dan).

Guards, or, ‘keeps watch over,’ ‘protects.’

Are in peace, or, ‘are safe/well-preserved/inviolate’ (Sranan Tongo, Balinese), and cf. ‘nothing will happen to all that is his’ (Tae’ 1933).

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.