SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021 – Page 40

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 26:5

26:5a

a long time: Here this word probably refers to most of Paul’s life. Paul began going to school in Jerusalem at about age six. He was now about fifty years old. The Jews in Jerusalem knew him from the time he began school.

26:5b

testify: This word means “report what one saw.” The word is often used where the person is expected to be truthful and accurate. Other ways to translate this word are:

faithfully report
-or-
accurately/truthfully assert

if they are willing: Here Paul indicates that he doubts that the Jews would be willing to testify. Another way to translate this clause is:

If they want to (New Century Version)

26:5c

I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion: The phrase strictest sect refers to the Pharisees. Paul lived according to their rules. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I have lived as a member of the strictest party of our religion, the Pharisees. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I was a Pharisee, a member of a group that is stricter than any other. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I was a good Pharisee. And the Pharisees obey the laws of the Jewish religion more carefully than any other group. (New Century Version)

strictest: The Pharisees followed their rules related to the law of Moses very carefully. They also had more rules than the Sadducees or any other group of Jews. Other ways to translate this word are:

the most exact/severe/regulated
-or-
more carefully than any other group (New Century Version)

sect: Here this word refers to one of several groups within a religion. Each group followed that religion according to their own rules. Here the word does not imply whether the group was good or bad. For example:

group (Contemporary English Version)

our religion: The word our implies the Jews here. Paul believed that Christianity was the fulfillment of the promises in the Jewish religion about the Christ. So Paul probably used the word our to imply “the Jews” while speaking to King Agrippa. Paul would say there are differences between Christianity and Judaism but did not want to indicate those differences here. You probably do not want to explain what our refers to in your translation.

religion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as religion refers to the things that people do when following their religious beliefs. The beliefs of that religion are perhaps included in the meaning of this word but are not important in its meaning. But the best English word here is religion.

I lived as a Pharisee: This clause indicates that Paul was a Pharisee and lived according to their rules. For example:

I was a good Pharisee (New Century Version)

© 2001, 2021 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 27:5

27:5a

And when we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia: After sailing to the east of Cyprus, they sailed north or northwest to arrive somewhere on the coast of the land of Cilicia. The photo shows two possible routes they may have taken. The phrase the open sea could refer to the part of the voyage between Cyprus and the mainland, or a short cut between the two points on the mainland.

Other ways to translate this clause are:

When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
We crossed over the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia (Good News Translation)

sailed across the open sea: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as open sea is literally “deep.” It refers to where the sea is deep and therefore far from land. It implies that the ship is so far from land that people on the ship cannot see any land. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

sailed over the deep sea
-or-
sailed far from land

Cilicia: This name refers to a province under Roman rule. See how you spelled this name in 15:23.

Pamphylia: This name refers to a district in a province under Roman rule. See how you spelled this name in 15:38.

27:5b

Myra: This name refers to a city. It was probably a small city at that time. In many languages people are not familiar with this name. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain it in your translation. For example:

⌊the city/town of⌋ Myra

• Explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Myra was a city.

Do not use a word that refers only to large, modern cities of today.

Lycia: This name refers to a district under Roman rule. Part of its coast is in the far western part of the photo above. In some languages people are not familiar with this name. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Lycia was a district under Roman rule. The region is now in the southern part of Turkey.

• Explain it in your translation. For example:

⌊the district/region/land of⌋ Lycia

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 27:37

27:37

In all, there were 276 of us on board: This clause in Greek is literally “we were—all the souls in the ship—two hundred and seventy-six.” The phrase “all the souls of the ship” indicates that the pronoun “we” refers to everyone on the ship. Other ways to translate this clause are:

(We were in all two hundred and seventy-six persons in the ship.) (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons. (New American Standard Bible)

276: Some languages do not have words for this amount. If so, you may want to use numerals from the common language. The Berean Standard Bible uses English numerals here.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 28:25

28:25a

They disagreed among themselves: Here, the word They refers to the leaders of the Jews (28:17), not including Paul. The Jews who did not believe what Paul had said were arguing with the Jews who believed what he had said. For example:

The Jews, unable to agree among themselves (God’s Word)
-or-
So they began to leave, unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement (NET Bible)

28:25b

began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: The Greek words are literally “they were leaving, Paul having said one word/saying.” There are two ways to interpret the connection between leaving and Paul saying one last thing:

(1) Paul said one last thing and then the Jews of Rome left him. For example:

they left…after Paul had said this one thing (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)

(2) As the Jews of Rome began to leave, Paul said one last thing. For example:

as they went away, Paul had one last thing to say to them, (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that is the usual way that the Greek grammar is used. However, interpretation (2) is also possible. Paul, seeing his audience start to leave, may then have warned them with the prophecy of Isaiah that he quotes in 28:25–28.

Other ways to translate these clauses according to interpretation (1) are:

they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
began leaving after Paul said one more thing to them (New Century Version)
-or-
they ⌊go ready to⌋ leave. But Paul said

28:25c

The Holy Spirit was right: This clause in Greek is literally “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

The Holy Spirit was right in saying (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
The Holy Spirit spoke rightly (NET Bible)
-or-
What the Holy Spirit said is true/right

to your fathers: Paul implied here that the message also applied to the Jews who rejected the message about Jesus. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that the message was only for the Jewish ancestors. If so, you may want to explain the implied information in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Paul clearly implied that what the Holy Spirit said here applied to the people he was speaking to as well.

your fathers:
Isaiah lived about seven hundred years before this time. So the word fathers refers to many generations earlier. For example:

your ancestors (Good News Translation)

28:25d

through Isaiah the prophet: The word through indicates that the Holy Spirit told his message to Isaiah and Isaiah wrote it in the book of Isaiah. He may have also preached it to the Jews. Other ways to translate this are:

by means of Isaiah the prophet
-or-
when he gave/told this message to Isaiah the prophet
-or-
caused the prophet Isaiah to write

prophet: See how you translated this word in 28:23.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 1:11

1:11a

Men of Galilee…why do you stand here looking into the sky?: This is a rhetorical question. It either rebukes or encourages the apostles to start doing all that Jesus had commanded them to do. The apostles already knew that Jesus would come again on the clouds. Here are some ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Men of Galilee, do you have some reason for standing here looking into the sky?

• As a statement. For example:

Men of Galilee, you do not need to stand here looking up at the sky.

Many English versions translate this as a rhetorical question that implies a mild rebuke. Consider how to translate this in a way that indicates a mild rebuke.

Men of Galilee: This phrase indicates that the apostles were all from the region of Galilee. This phrase is a polite address to the apostles. Consider how to translate this phrase as a polite address.

they said: The first sentence of what they said is a question. For example:

They asked (God’s Word)

But the next sentence is a statement. So many English versions translate in the same way as the Berean Standard Bible.

1:11b

This same Jesus: Just before this, Jesus was taken to heaven. The apostles saw that event. The phrase This same Jesus indicates that the angels were talking about him as well. It emphasizes the person referred to. Here are some other ways to translate this:

This Jesus (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
This very Jesus (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
As for Jesus,

who has been taken from you into heaven: This further describes Jesus. It does not separate Jesus from other men named “Jesus.” For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word who. For example:

He was taken from you into heaven.

who has been taken: The clause is passive. Here are some ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Use an active verb. God took Jesus to heaven, but God was not visible. For example:

whom ⌊God⌋ took up
-or-
whom ⌊God⌋ caused to rise

heaven: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven can mean either “heaven” or “sky.” Here it refers to the place where God lives, so the Berean Standard Bible uses the word heaven rather than the word “sky.” See how you translated heaven in 1:2a.

1:11c

come back: The Greek word means “come” (BDAG, L&N, L&S, Kittel, Moulton and Milligan). For example:

come (English Standard Version)

you have seen Him go into heaven: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven can mean either sky or heaven. The apostles did not see Jesus actually enter heaven. They only saw him go up into the sky until the cloud took him. Your translation should not indicate that they saw Jesus enter heaven. For example:

you have seen him go up into the sky

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2:17

2:17a

In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people: The Greek and Berean Standard Bible put the phrase God says in the middle of what he said. In some languages it is necessary or more natural to have this phrase first. For example:

God says, ‘In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people…’

Peter adds the words God says to make it clear who spoke the words which follow. Those words are not in the quote from Joel.

In the last days: The phrase the last days refers to the period of time just before the current age ends. It was used to describe the final activities that would happen before this age ended and the new age began. It does not say how long this time is. It implies that the new age will soon begin. In some languages a literal translation would indicate only a few days. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Indicate it is a period of time at the end of the current age. For example:

In the last part of this era

• Explain its meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This phrase refers to the last part of the current time period.

I will pour out My Spirit on all people: The verb pour is a figure of speech that means “give” here. In some languages the phrase pour out can apply only to liquids, not the Holy Spirit. If that is true in your language, use a word or phrase that can apply to the Holy Spirit. For example:

I will give my Spirit to everyone (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I will send my Spirit to all people

I: Here the pronoun I refers to God, not to Joel.

My Spirit: This phrase refers to the Holy Spirit. In some languages the word “Holy” must be included to have the correct meaning. For example:

my ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit

2:17b

Your sons and daughters: The people there would have understood Your sons and daughters as referring to their own children.

prophesy: This verb refers to speaking a message on behalf of God. God speaks to the prophet through words and visions. Then the prophet tells God’s message (prophesying) to the people or writes it down for their use. For example:

speak what God has revealed (God’s Word)
-or-
proclaim my message (Good News Translation)
-or-
speak on God’s behalf

2:17c

young men: In Jewish culture at that time the phrase young men referred to males from about 24 through 39 years of age. Here the exact ages are not important. Also, probably young women are included as well. For example:

young people (New Jerusalem Bible)

visions: Here the word visions refers to things that God causes people to see supernaturally. A vision is not normal seeing. It is like seeing things in a dream, but the person is usually awake.

old men will dream dreams: These dreams come from God. With them God shows people what he wants them to know. In some languages a literal translation would not imply that God gave the dream and its meaning to them. If that is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information. For example:

old men will dream dreams ⌊from God⌋

In some languages only the verb dream is needed for the correct meaning. For example:

old men will dream

In some languages only the noun dreams is needed for the correct meaning. For example:

old men will see dreams

old men: Here probably old women are included as well. For example:

old people (New Jerusalem Bible)

General Comment on 2:17c

In some languages the translation of “vision” and the translation of “dream” is the same word. If possible indicate the difference between the two meanings. For example:

your young men and old men will see visions/dreams, during the night and during the day

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 3:3

3:3

he saw Peter and John about to enter: Peter and John were about to enter the temple courts.

he asked them for money: In some languages it may be more natural to use direct speech. For example:

he asked them, “Would you please give me some money?”
-or-
he said to them, “Please give me some money.”

asked them for money: The Greek is more literally “was asking to receive an act of mercy.” The Greek ending on the verb probably indicates that this man asked more than once. Usually “an act of mercy” was a gift of money. Here are some other ways to translate these words:

was asking them for a charitable gift
-or-
was begging them for money

See how you translated a similar phrase in 3:2 which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “to beg.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 4:9

4:9a–b

If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed: Here the word If introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, it supports the second part (“then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel” (4:10a)).

In some languages, using an If-clause would have a different meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

consider this: we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed. 10Therefore
-or-
we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed. 10Therefore
-or-
Right now you are examining us(excl), because we helped this lame person, you want to know how we healed him
-or-
Do you want to hear and judge the talk of the man with the bad legs that we sent heart [gave compassion] to and fixed/healed?

4:9a

we are being examined: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

you are questioning us (New Jerusalem Bible)

we: The pronoun we is emphatic here. If you have a way in your language to emphasize we, consider using it here. Here are some ways in English:

we ourselves
-or-
it is we who

are being examined: This phrase indicates that the officials were questioning them, as a judge would in a court case. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

are being called to account (New International Version)
-or-
are on trial (New American Standard Bible)

The tense of the Greek verb indicates that the Jewish leaders were questioning them at that time. They started questioning them in 4:7.

today: You should put the time word, today, where it will be most natural for your translation.

about: Here this word introduces the basis for the questions from the leaders. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

concerning (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
because of (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
for (New International Version)

a kind service to a man who was lame: This phrase in Greek is more literally “a kindness of a handicapped man.” Notice that there is no verb in Greek.

This phrase refers to the time Peter and John healed the crippled beggar in 3:1–10. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Add a passive verb. For example:

the good deed done to the lame man (Good News Translation)

• Add an active verb. For example:

the good we did for a crippled man (God’s Word)
-or-
how we helped a crippled man

a kind service: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a kind service can also be translated as “good deed.” This good deed refers to the miraculous healing that Peter and John did. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

good thing (New Century Version)
-or-
kind deed (Contemporary English Version)

a man who was lame: This phrase in Greek is more literally “a sick/feeble man.” The Greek refers to anything that causes someone to not be able to do normal things. It refers to the lame man (3:2) here. For example:

someone who is sick (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
a man with a health problem

But many English versions make it clear here that it refers to the lame man, like the Berean Standard Bible does, because it has been many verses since he was mentioned.

4:9b

to determine how he was healed: The Greek is literally “in which this-one has been healed.” It refers to how the lame man was healed. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

by what means this man has been healed (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
as to how this man has been made well (New American Standard Bible)

to determine: This verb is not in Greek (see above). The Berean Standard Bible has added the words to determine to introduce “how he was healed” in a more understandable way in English. If you choose to add a verb, here are some ways to translate this clause:

• Add a passive verb as the Berean Standard Bible. For example:

and are asked how this man has been healed (New Revised Standard Version)

• Add an active verb. For example:

you…are asking us how he was healed (New Jerusalem Bible)

he was healed: This clause is passive. Peter was probably thinking that God did the healing. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ healed this man
-or-

⌊God⌋ has made this man well

was healed: The Greek tense indicates that this man was healed before this time when Peter was speaking. For example:

has been healed (Revised Standard Version)

Search

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 2021