--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The original language of Christianity is…" description: "\"The original language of Christianity is translation.\" — Lamin Sanneh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg" --- # The original language of Christianity is translation. ![“The original language of Christianity is translation.” quote by Lamin Sanneh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg) > “The original language of Christianity is translation.” [Lamin Sanneh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamin-sanneh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Original religious messages are conveyed through translation, shaping faith across languages **In simple terms:** Faith spreads via translation Key Takeaway Recognize translation's role in faith Themes faith language translation Mood thoughtful reflective Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - missionary work - interfaith dialogue - scripture study - global evangelism Key Concepts theology linguistics Questions to Reflect On - How does translation affect your belief? - Can meaning be preserved across languages? A Different Perspective Translations can alter meaning and cause misunderstandings ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-translation-5357282/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-christianity-2307516/) [Original Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original-language-807413/) [Translation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translation/) [Translations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translations/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think that someone who does not speak the original language can ever expect to produce a real translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wiman/i-don-t-think-that-someone-who-does-not-speak-the-original-language/) [Christian Wiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wiman/) > [The language of Christianity is the language of substitution. It is not primarily the language of morals. God is not presented as a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-rosenbladt/the-language-of-christianity-is-the-language-of-substitution-it-is/) [Rod Rosenbladt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-rosenbladt/) > [You should take notes whenever you hear interesting or original language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randa-abdel-fattah/you-should-take-notes-whenever-you-hear-interesting-or-original/) [Randa Abdel-Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randa-abdel-fattah/) > [Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my all-time favorite writers. I feel spiritual when reading his words, even though they're translated. I wish desperately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/gabriel-garcia-marquez-is-one-of-my-all-time-favorite-writers-i-feel/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How shall we account for our pursuits, if they are original? We get the language with which to describe our various lives out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/how-shall-we-account-for-our-pursuits-if-they-are-original-we-get-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In fact, many of the quotes in my books are quotes which were translated from English and that I read already translated into Spanish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agustin-fernandez-mallo/in-fact-many-of-the-quotes-in-my-books-are-quotes-which-were/) [Agustin Fernandez Mallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agustin-fernandez-mallo/) > [Where names of people or places would mean little to a contemporary reader, I figured "translation errors" could create interesting new meanings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/where-names-of-people-or-places-would-mean-little-to-a-contemporary/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [Translation is an interestingly different way to be involved both with poetry and with the language that I've found myself living in much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/translation-is-an-interestingly-different-way-to-be-involved-both/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [The vices and the virtues are written in a language the world cannot construe; it reads them in a vile translation, and the translators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/the-vices-and-the-virtues-are-written-in-a-language-the-world-cannot/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [silence is the language of god, all else is poor translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/silence-is-the-language-of-god-all-else-is-poor-translation/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [A screenplay is really an instruction manual, and it can be interpreted in any number of ways. The casting, the choice of location, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/a-screenplay-is-really-an-instruction-manual-and-it-can-be/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [The translation process becomes a highly subjective thing - turning reds and blues into black-and-whiteness. It's really bizarre for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-longo/the-translation-process-becomes-a-highly-subjective-thing-turning/) [Robert Longo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-longo/) > [The translation called good has original value as a work of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedetto-croce/the-translation-called-good-has-original-value-as-a-work-of-art/) [Benedetto Croce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedetto-croce/) > [“My goal is to act as a faithful interpreter, preserving as much of the original's nuances of meaning as possible without embellishment or omission.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/my-goal-is-to-act-as-a-faithful-interpreter-preserving-as-much-of-the/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) ## More by Lamin Sanneh > [Africans sensed in their hearts that Jesus did not mock their respect for the sacred or their clamor for an invincible Savior, so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/africans-sensed-in-their-hearts-that-jesus-did-not-mock-their-respect/) [Lamin Sanneh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamin-sanneh/) > [God was in Christ, reconciling the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/god-was-in-christ-reconciling-the-world/) [Lamin Sanneh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamin-sanneh/) [Explore all 3 Lamin Sanneh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamin-sanneh/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The original language of Christianity is translation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lamin Sanneh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/the-original-language-of-christianity-is-translation/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/the-original-language-of-christianity-is-translation/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lamin-sanneh-84915_christianity_the-original-language-of-christianity-is_1474284.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The original language of Christianity is translation.” — Lamin Sanneh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lamin Sanneh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamin-sanneh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The original language of Christianity is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/the-original-language-of-christianity-is-translation/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamin-sanneh/the-original-language-of-christianity-is-translation/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```