complete verse (Mark 11:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 11:7:

  • Uma: “When they arrived at Yesus, they saddled the keledai with their shirts, and Yesus got-on it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then they took the offspring of the asnu to Isa. They made a cover (like a saddle) with their clothes, and then Isa rode.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They brought that young animal to Jesus, and they saddled it with their shirts and Jesus got on it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then they took it to Jesus. They spread their outer garments on the back of the donkey and then Jesus mounted.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They then brought that young asno to Jesus. On their arriving, they used their cloaks for a saddle and then Jesus rode.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Mark 11:7

Exegesis:

epiballousin (cf. 4.37) ‘they throw upon.’

ta himatia autōn (cf. 2.21; for the plural cf. 9.3) ‘their cloaks’ (cf. Goodspeed, Montgomery, Manson), or, in general, ‘their clothes’ (without meaning, of course, all their clothes).

ekathisen (cf. 9.35) ‘he sat.’

Translation:

Brought should be understood in the sense of ‘led.’

Threw must be translated in the sense of ‘put their garments on’ or ‘threw them over the animal’ (in the form of a saddle), not in the sense of ‘threw away’ or ‘threw at.’ (In some translations the literal rendering has been ridiculous.)

Sat upon it must be altered in some languages to read ‘sat upon them,’ i.e. the clothing – otherwise it would mean that the garments were draped over the head and tail of the animal, but not as a kind of saddle. However, this problem can be avoided in some instances by using ‘mounted the animal.’

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .