SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021 – Page 20

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 22:1

22:1

Brothers and fathers: This phrase in Greek is literally “Men, brothers and fathers.” The phrase Brothers and fathers describes the word “men.” The word Brothers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are his age or younger. The word fathers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are older than him. It includes any Jewish leaders in the crowd.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to Paul’s actual brothers and father. If that is true in your language, use whatever terms are natural for addressing people from the same ethnic group, including leaders. For example:

My companions and my fathers
-or-
my brothers and my uncles
-or-
You men and elders who are Israelites as I am
-or-
My fellow Jews (Good News Translation)

See how you translated this phrase in 7:2.

my defense before you: The word defense indicates that Paul would explain who he was and why he had been in the temple area. It was similar to defending himself in court, because the Jews from Asia accused him of wrongdoing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

what I have to say to you in my defence (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
my words to reply/answer to your accusations
-or-
the words I have to say to explain

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 23:3

23:3a

God will strike you, you whitewashed wall: Paul called the high priest a whitewashed wall. In some languages this term of address must be first in the clause. For example:

You whitewashed wall, God will strike you!

The phrase whitewashed wall is a metaphor. A whitewashed wall is a wall of stones that was painted white to hide how weak or ugly it was. People used this metaphor to refer to someone who was a hypocrite. That person pretended to be good, but was really evil. Some ways to translate this phrase are:

• Translate the metaphor as a simile. For example:

God will strike you. You ⌊are like a⌋ whitewashed wall

• Explain the metaphor in your translation. For example:

God will strike you. You ⌊are as phony/fake as a⌋ whitewashed wall
-or-
God will strike you. You ⌊are like a⌋ wall painted white ⌊to hide the bad parts⌋

• Translate the meaning of the metaphor. For example:

You hypocrite, God will strike you!
-or-
You deceive people, so God will strike you!

You may then want to indicate the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally “whitewashed wall.” This is a metaphor for being a hypocrite.

• Translate the metaphor literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

This is a metaphor for being a hypocrite. People paint the wall white to hide how weak or ugly it was.

God will strike you: This clause in Greek is literally “God is about to strike you.” It indicates that God will soon strike the high priest or will certainly strike him. Luke used the word strike again to connect the sentence to 23:2b. For example:

God is going to strike you (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
God will certainly strike you (Good News Translation)

The clause God will strike you is a figure of speech which means “God will harm you.” If possible, use the same verb for strike that you used in 23:2b. Some languages use a different verb for God striking/harming people. If that is true in your language, use a verb that indicates or implies that God would harm him.

23:3b–c

You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck: The scholars of the Greek New Testament interpret this sentence as a question. For example:

Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck? (Revised Standard Version)

It is a rhetorical question. Paul used it to rebuke him. Translate it as a rebuke in your language. Some ways are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

How can you sit there to judge me according to the Law, and then break the Law by ordering a man to strike me? (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck? (New American Standard Bible)
-or-

⌊Why⌋ do you sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck?

• As a statement. For example:

You sit there to judge me according to the Law, yet you break the Law by ordering them to strike me! (Good News Translation)
-or-
You sit there and judge me, using the law of Moses, but you are telling them to hit me, and that is against the law. (New Century Version)

• As a command. For example:

⌊Consider that⌋ you sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!

You sit here to judge me: Here the word judge refers to deciding whether what someone says is true or a lie. If this were a trial, the leader of the Sanhedrin would be deciding if Paul deserved to be punished. Here, the Roman commander asked the leader to find out if the mob’s accusations against Paul (22:30) were true.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 23:35

23:35a

I will hear your case: This clause indicates that Felix would listen to both Paul and his Jewish accusers. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I will give you a hearing (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I will examine your case
-or-
I will investigate the things you are accused of

accusers: This word refers to people who accuse someone of doing something wrong. See how you translated this word in 23:30.

23:35b

he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium: This probably happened in Herod’s Praetorium. The governor lived there and governed the people from there. Some languages must use direct speech here. For example:

he ordered/said, “Keep Paul under guard ⌊here⌋.” ⌊They were all⌋ in Herod’s palace.

he ordered that Paul be kept under guard: The clause Paul be kept under guard is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

he ordered ⌊some of⌋ his soldiers to guard Paul

kept under guard: This phrase refers to always guarding Paul. The Romans usually did this for someone awaiting trial. Another way to translate this phrase is:

always guarded

Herod’s Praetorium: The Greek phrase the Berean Standard Bible translates as Herod’s Praetorium refers to the costly palace Herod the Great built. He died a year or two after Jesus was born. At the time of this story, more than fifty years later, the Romans used it as the residence and headquarters of the Roman governor of Judea.

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as Praetorium is the borrowed Roman word praetorium. This word refers to the residence of a Roman leader such as the governor Felix. But Herod built a palace for himself, not a praetorium for the Roman governor. However, when Herod lived there, he ruled the people from there, like the Roman governor did. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

Herod’s palace (New International Version)
-or-
the palace that Herod built
-or-

⌊the governor’s house and offices that used to be⌋ Herod’s palace
-or-

⌊the governor’s residence called⌋ Herod’s Palace

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 25:5

25:5a

So: The Greek conjunction often translated as “therefore” introduces this verse. It introduces a logical conclusion for Festus going to Caesarea soon. The Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions translate this conjunction as So. For example:

So (Revised Standard Version)

Some English versions allow the context to indicate the connection and do not translate the conjunction.

wrong: The Greek word is literally “out of place.” It is a Greek euphemism that mildly refers to a crime or wrongdoing worthy of punishment. Festus probably used this word as a contrast to the urgent request of the Jewish leaders. It is not known if Festus already knew from Lysias (21:27–23:35) or from Felix that the Jewish leaders lacked proof that Paul did anything wrong (24:13). Other ways to translate this word are:

amiss
-or-
at fault (Revised English Bible)
-or-
improper

25:5b-c

let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there: These clauses are third person (“to them”) commands in Greek. English sometimes uses the word let for a third person command. Festus was the Roman leader over the Jews. Translate these clauses for someone with that kind of authority. For example:

Some of your leaders must come with me and press charges against the man there

25:5b

your leaders: This phrase in Greek is literally “the powerful ones among you.” This phrase probably refers to those Jews who would have the power/authority to represent the Jewish leadership in court before Festus. Only some of the Jews present would have that authority. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the men of authority among you (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
your authorities (God’s Word)
-or-
representatives of your Sanhedrin
-or-
those empowered among you ⌊for such a matter⌋

25:5c

accuse: This word refers to telling a judge what wrongs they believe a person has done and trying to prove that he did them. See how you translated this Greek word in 24:2 (“opened the prosecution”) or 24:19 (“bring charges”).

General Comment on 25:5a–c

In some languages it is more natural to have the “if” clause last. For example:

5bLet some of your leaders come with me 5cand press charges against the man there, 5aif he has done anything wrong. (New International Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 26:10

26:10a

And that is what I did in Jerusalem: This clause indicates that Paul did the deeds he referred to in 26:9b. He then described some of those deeds in 26:10b–c. Other ways to translate this clause are:

And I did so in Jerusalem; (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
And I did oppose it/them in Jerusalem. ⌊For example⌋…

26:10b–c

This sentence describes how Paul opposed the name of Jesus in Jerusalem. For example:

⌊In particular,…⌋

But many languages will not need to add this phrase.

26:10b

With authority from the chief priests: The chief priests authorized Paul to arrest Christians and put them in prison. In some languages it is more natural to use a verb here. For example:

The chief priests gave authority to me and so

the chief priests: This phrase refers to the priests who were leaders of other priests and religious leaders of Israel. See how you translated this phrase in 4:23 or 25:15.

I: The pronoun I is emphasized in the Greek clause. For example:

I myself (New Jerusalem Bible)

saints: The Greek word here is literally “holy (ones).” It refers to those whom God has set apart for himself. God has made them holy and they share in his holiness. In the New Testament, this word refers to all Christians, not to any special group of Christians.

Paul referred here to believers in Jesus but avoided using a specific term like “Christians.” Other ways to translate this word are:

God’s own people
-or-
people whom God has made holy

Your translation of this Greek word should refer to all believers.

26:10c

they were condemned to death: This clause is passive. The Jewish leaders decided they should die and commanded someone to execute the believers. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊the Jewish leaders⌋ decided that they should die
-or-

⌊the Jewish leaders⌋ ordered someone to execute/kill them
-or-

⌊the Jewish leaders⌋ had them killed

I cast my vote against them: This clause may indicate that:

(1) Paul actually voted along with others about whether or not believers in Jesus should be killed. Paul voted that someone should kill them.

(2) Paul agreed when the chief priests decided that someone should kill the believers.

If possible, translate literally, as in interpretation (1). Other ways to translate this clause following interpretation (1) are:

I also voted against them. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I voted to have them killed every time a vote was taken. (God’s Word)

In some languages a more general translation is more natural. If so, translate in a way that allows one of the above interpretations. For example:

I said that they should die.
-or-
I agreed it was a good thing. (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 27:10

27:10a–b

Paul spoke here from personal experience. In 2 Corinthians 11:25 he spoke about being shipwrecked three times. This saying is not a prophecy from God. God spoke to Paul about what would happen during the last part of the voyage, but it was not until many days later (see 27:21–26).

27:10a

Men: This term of address was a respectful address to men but did not exclude women if any were present.

I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster: The word see indicates that based on personal experience, Paul expected that any further sailing would end with disaster. In some languages the verb see is not natural here. For example:

I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I expect that our voyage will be disastrous

our voyage will be filled with disaster: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disaster refers to hardship, destruction, or damage. Paul expected that if they sailed further, then a storm would likely destroy or damage the ship. Other ways to translate this clause are:

the voyage will certainly be with damage (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
there is trouble ahead if we go on (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the voyage will become disastrous
-or-
this voyage is likely to result in damage (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

27:10b

great loss, not only to ship and cargo, but to our own lives as well: These words indicate that Paul also expected harm to ship and cargo, and people’s lives. The ship may fall apart, cargo may sink into the sea and people may die. Other ways to translate these words are:

is going to have great loss to ship and cargo, and to us also
-or-
The ship, the cargo, and even our lives may be lost. (New Century Version)
-or-
great loss to ship and cargo will occur/happen and also many of us will die

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 27:42

Paragraph 27:42–44

27:42a–b

The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom: In some languages indirect or direct speech must be used to describe what the soldiers planned. For example:

The soldiers decided that they should kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.
-or-
The soldiers decided saying, “We should kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.”

27:42a

The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners: This clause in Greek is literally “The decision of the soldiers was that they should kill the prisoners.” Other ways to translate this clause are:

The soldiers decided to kill the prisoners (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The soldiers said to each other, “We need to kill the prisoners.”

27:42b

so none of them could swim to freedom: Roman authorities punished Roman soldiers severely (sometimes even killing them) if they allowed a prisoner to escape. So usually they would kill prisoners rather than allow them to escape. In some languages the implied reason will not be clear. If so, you may want to:

• Translate literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Roman authorities punished Roman soldiers severely if they allowed a prisoner to escape. So usually they would killed prisoners rather than allow them to escape.

• Include some implied information. For example:

to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping ⌊because that way the soldiers avoided being punished for allowing them to escape⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 28:30

Paragraph 28:30–31

28:30a

two full years: This probably refers to a time period of twenty-four months (instead of parts of two years).

his own rented house: This phrase in Greek refers to either a house, flat, apartment, or room that Paul paid the owners each month so that he could live there. For example:

a place he rented for himself (Good News Translation)

28:30b

welcoming all who came to visit him: Paul welcomed anyone who came to see him. He was happy to speak to Jews, Romans, Greeks, or any other kind of person. For example:

He welcomed all who came to visit him (New Jerusalem Bible)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021