teach

The Greek that is translated as a form of “teach” is translated with some figurative phrases such as “to engrave the mind” (Ngäbere) or “to cause others to imitate” (Huichol). (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Noongar it is translated as karni-waangki or “truth saying” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Luke 13:26)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the Lord).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Luke 13:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 13:26:

  • Noongar: “Then you will reply, ‘We ate and drank with you; you taught in our town!'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘You will say to him: ‘Ei’! We have eaten and drunk with you (sing.), Lord! You (sing.) have taught in our (excl.) town!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then you will say, ‘Do you not remember? Before we ate together and you preached there in our (excl.) town.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then you will answer, ‘Long ago we ate and we drank with you, and you taught in our town!'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then they will say, ‘And there indeed it was we (excl.) who ate-with and drank-with you (sing.). You (sing.) moreover taught in our (excl.) town!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You will reply saying, ‘Well, we were indeed your companions eating and drinking and you-remember you even taught in our town.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

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 13:26

Exegesis:

tote arxesthe legein lit. ‘then you will begin to say.’ tote ‘then,’ i.e. when the master of the house has denied the relationship (v. 25). arxesthe indicates that the activity of those whom Jesus addresses takes a new turn in that they attempt to prove their relationship to the householder, cf. on 4.21.

ephagomen enōpion sou kai epiomen ‘we ate and drank in your presence,’ i.e. ‘we had fellowship with you at table,’ cf. on 5.30. enōpion sou goes with both verbs which form one expression. For enōpion cf. on 1.15.

en tais plateiais hēmōn edidaxas ‘you taught in our streets,’ i.e. in the streets of the towns in which we live, implicit reference to Jesus’ activity as a teacher.

Translation:

We ate and drank in your presence, preferably, ‘with you’; or, ‘we sat at table (or, had meals) with you’ (cf. New English Bible, Phillips); and cf. the note on 5.30.

In our streets, or, ‘in the roads/paths/trails of our towns and villages,’ ‘in our village-squares’ (cf. Kele, one West Nyanja version), ‘on the crossroads of our villages,’ or simply, ‘in our settlements’ (Tae’); cf. on 10.10.

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.