high priest

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “high priest” in English is translated as “the ruler of the priests of our nation” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “very great priest” in Chol (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.), as “first over the priests” in Ayutla Mixtec, and “chief of the priests” in Desano (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).

In Uma it is translated as “Big Priest,” in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “high sacrificer,” and in Tagbanwa as “Most-important Priest of God.” (See here.)

See also priest and chief priest.

complete verse (Matthew 26:62)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 26:62:

  • Uma: “The Big Priest stood up and said to Yesus: ‘Aren’t you (sing.) going to answer those who bring accusations against you (sing.)?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the leader priest stood up and he said to Isa, ‘Do you not answer anything to their accusation of you?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the high priest stood up, and he said to Jesus, ‘Are these accusations about you true? What do you have to answer?’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So then the highest priest stood-up and he said to Jesus, ‘Is there nothing perhaps that you are-able-to-answer to what-these -have-accused-you (sing.) -of?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When the Most-important Priest heard, he stood up and then said to Jesus, ‘Do you have an answer to this which they have told in evidence against you?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The high priest stood up and said to Jesus: ‘What do you say about this word they accuse you of? Don’t you answer even one word?’ he said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 26:62

And said is literally “and said to him”; Good News Translation identifies “him” as Jesus in order to avoid the possibility of confusion with the person who is speaking in verse 61.

Have you no answer to make? is more literally “Do you answer nothing?” However, the form of the Greek sentence may be deceptive for English speakers, and the meaning is as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have expressed it (“Have you no answer to give…?”).

What is it that these men testify against you? is placed as part of the first question by Good News Translation in the phrase “to this accusation against you” (“Have you no answer to give to this accusation against you?”). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is also economical in its restructuring: “Have you nothing to bring against these accusations?” Whether one question is used or two, the point remains that What is it that these men testify against you? is not asking for information about what the men had testified as much as it is asking Jesus to refute what they said or to explain himself: “What do you say to this accusation (or, to these things they have said about you)?”

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 .