Mark 3:31-35 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 3:31-35 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus was teaching the people. The people sat and listened to him. Jesus’ mother, brothers and sisters came there. There were a lot of people. The mother, brothers and sisters could not come near. Then they asked the people to tell Jesus:

— We have come. Come to us!

The people told Jesus:

— Your mother, brothers and sister have come. Come to them.

Jesus replied:

— Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?

Then Jesus pointed to the people who were listening to him and said:

— Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! Whoever listens to God and does his will is my mother, brother and sister!

Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):

Иисус учил народ. Люди сидели и слушали его. Туда пришли мать, братья и сестры Иисуса. Было много народа. Мать, братья и сестры не могли подойти. Тогда они попросили людей передать Иисусу:

— Мы пришли. Подойди к нам!

Люди передали Иисусу:

— Твоя мать, братья и сестра пришли. Подойди к ним.

Иисус ответил:

— А кто моя мать? Кто мои братья?

Потом Иисус показал на людей, которые его слушали, и сказал:

— Вот моя мать! Вот мои братья! Кто слушает Бога и исполняет Его волю, тот мне мать, брат и сестра!

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 3:20-30 in Russian Sign Language

complete verse (Mark 3:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 3:31:

  • Uma: “From there, Yesus’s mother and relatives arrived [and] stood outside the house. They ordered people to call him to come outside they could talk to him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Na, so-then Isa’s mother and brothers arrived there. They stood there outside the house and asked/commanded him to be called.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then the mother of Jesus and his youngest brothers arrived. They were outside the house, and they told the people to have Jesus come out.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then his mother and his siblings/cousins (henceforth brothers) arrived at the house where he was and they had-him -called.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then the mother and younger-siblings of Jesus arrived. They were just there outside. They caused Jesus to be told that they were waiting for him outside,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Mark 3:31

Exegesis:

exō stēkontes ‘standing outside (the house)’: Jesus is inside (see vv. 32, 34).

stēkō (11.25) ‘stand’: in the Septuagint and N.T. this verb is equal in meaning to the intransitive use of histēmi ‘stand.’

apesteilan pros auton ‘they sent (a message) to him’ (or, ‘they sent for him’).

kalountes auton ‘calling him’: this is the message they sent.

Translation:

Brothers should be understood as ‘younger brothers’ by the same mother, where as in so many languages special words are employed for brothers, whether younger or older (Copainalá Zoque, Tzeltal), or of the same mother or father (Navajo, Farefare).

Because of the distance of this verse from any previous reference to Jesus it would probably be necessary in some languages to introduce ‘Jesus’ (San Mateo del Mar Huave).

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 .