complete verse (Matthew 26:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 26:32:

  • Uma: “But when I live again, I will go ahead of you to the land of Galilea, so that we will meet there later.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But when I am alive again, we will meet. I will go ahead of you to the place Jalil.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But when I am raised from the dead, I will go before you into the province of Galilee.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But when God makes me live again, I will go-ahead of you to go to Galilea.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But on my coming alive again, I will go ahead of you to Galilea.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But when I have resurrected, I will go to Galilee and there wait for you.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi 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 Matthew 26:32

But after I am raised up is an obvious reference to Jesus’ resurrection from death, and Good News Translation makes this fact explicit: “But after I am raised to life.” It may be necessary to alter this statement to an active construction: “But after God raises me back to life” or “… from death.”

I will go before you to Galilee may refer either to Jesus’ resurrection or to his final appearance. On this issue scholarly opinion is sharply divided. The usual interpretation of this phrase is that of Good News Translation, “I will go to Galilee ahead of you.” That is, Jesus will go there before they do, and the presumption is that they will meet him there. Barclay has “I will go on ahead of you into Galilee.” There are some who have understood this to mean Jesus will lead the disciples to Galilee, as in “I will lead the way for you into Galilee.” The first interpretation is probably better.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .