complete verse (Mark 16:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 16:13:

  • Uma: “Those two returning told their companions that they had seen Yesus. But they didn’t believe them either.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then they returned to Awrusalam to tell their companions. But they also did not believe them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they returned to Jerusalem and told their companions that they had seen Jesus, but in spite of that, their companions would not believe.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Those two, they returned to go report to their companions, but their companions, they didn’t believe either.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those two returned to Jerusalem and told to their companions what happened on their journey. But even they weren’t believed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Mark 16:13

Exegesis:

kakeinoi (cf. v. 11) ‘and they.’

apelthontes ‘going away,’ ‘going off’: apparently, from the context, the meaning here is that ‘they went back’ to the city of Jerusalem, where the others were. (Of the twenty-one times Mark uses the verb aperchomai, only once – in 7.30 – can it be taken to mean ‘go back,’ ‘return.’)

tois loipois (cf. Mk. 4.19) ‘to the remaining ones,’ ‘to the rest’: that is, the other disciples, ‘those who had been with him’ of v. 10.

oude ekeinois episteusan ‘neither did they believe them.’

pisteuō (cf. Mk. 1.15) ‘believe,’ ‘have faith.’

Translation:

The rest must very often be translated with a more specific referent, ‘the rest of the disciples’ or ‘the rest of those that had been with him.’

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 .