complete verse (Mark 7:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 7:23:

  • Uma: “All evil actions like that appear from the hearts of mankind. That is what makes people bad in God’s sight.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “All these bad things come out of a persons liver and that is what defiles him/makes him unclean.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “These bad doings come out of the breath of a person, and they are what can cause God to be displeased with him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “All these, they come-from the mind/thoughts of a person, and they are what makes-him -dirty.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “All of these come from the mind of a person, and that’s what makes him disgusting in the sight of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Mark 7:23

Exegesis:

ponēra (as an adjective only here and in v. 22; cf. the noun ponēriai in v. 22) ‘wicked,’ ‘evil.’

Translation:

The translation of this verse, as regards the form of things come from … must, of course, follow the pattern of the first part of verse 21. Accordingly, one may need to translate this as ‘because of what is within a person he does all these bad deeds.’

For defile see 7.15.

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 .