complete verse (2 Timothy 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Timothy 4:19:

  • Uma: “Please deliver my greetings to Priska and Akwila, and to the relatives of Onesiforus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Tell Priskila and Akila for me and Onesiporus and his family that I remember them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Greet Prisca, Aquila, and Onesiphorus and his family for me.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Greet (lit. cause-to-be-greeted) Priscilla and Aquila, and likewise also Onesiforus and his family.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Give my greetings to that married couple, Priscila and Aquila, and everyone in the household of Onesiforo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Please greet Prisca and Aquila, her husband, for me. Also all those who live in the house of Onesiphorus, please greet for me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Timothy 4:19

Greet translates a word that is often rendered “salute.” It may also be expressed as “I send words to,” “I want to convey my loving memories to,” “I want Priscilla … to remember me kindly.”

Prisca and Aquila are wife and husband. Prisca is the name used in the letters from Paul, but she is identical with “Priscilla” in the book of Acts, where she is referred to with her husband (Acts 18.2, 18, 19, 26). See also Rom 16.3 and 1 Cor 16.19. The order of names (with Priscilla mentioned first) probably indicates that Priscilla was more important than Aquila, at least in their ministry to the Christian community.

For Onesiphorus see 2 Tim 1.16. For household see comments on 1 Tim 3.4.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 2 Timothy 4:19

Section 4:19–22

Paul sent greetings to the believers in Ephesus

Paragraph 4:19–21

4:19a

Greet Prisca and Aquila: Priscilla and Aquila were the names of a Christian woman and her husband who were friends of Paul. (See Acts 18:1–3.) Paul had mentioned them before in other letters. Apparently at the time Paul wrote this letter to Timothy in Ephesus, they were there, too.

Greet: Paul asked Timothy to tell Priscilla and Aquila that Paul was thinking about them and wished them well.

Prisca: The Greek word here for the woman’s name is literally “Prisca.” It refers to the same woman whose name is given as Priscilla in Acts 18:1–3.

(1) Many modern versions translate it as Priscilla here also, to avoid confusion. (See New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Century Version, Contemporary English Version.)

(2) Several versions translate it literally as “Prisca.” (See Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised English Bible.)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) and translate it as Priscilla.

4:19b

the household of Onesiphorus: Onesiphorus is the name of a Christian man. He had proved that he was a faithful friend to Paul. Paul also asked Timothy to greet all those who lived in Onesiphorus’ house.

© 2003 by SIL International®

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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.

Commentaire sur la traduction de 2 Timothée 4.19

4.19-22

Certains voient ce passage très bref comme une section à part, « Salutations finales ». Mais Paul ne fait que continuer ses commentaires. Néanmoins la section est caractérisée par :
• des salutations adressées à des tiers (2 Tim 4.19),
• le partage de certaines nouvelles (2 Tim 4.20), similaires à d’autres ( 2 Tim 4.10),
• encore des conseils pour Timothée (4.21a), comme en 2 Tim 4.15,
• salutations de la part des autres (4.21b),
• bénédictions à Timothée (4.22a) et à la communauté chrétienne d’Éphèse (4.23b).

Si l’on opte pour un sous-titre ici, on pourrait dire tout simplement : « Paul termine sa lettre » ou « Salutations finales ».

Salue Prisca et Aquilas, ainsi que la famille d’Onésiphore : dans beaucoup de cultures, la transmission des salutations est cruciale. Les traducteurs trouveront certainement une expression idiomatique pour exprimer la notion de saluer dans leur langue.

Prisca et Aquilas sont des collaborateurs proches de Paul. Ce couple avait pour travail la fabrication et la réparation des tentes. Voir Act 18.2,18,19,26 ; Rom 16.3 ; 1 Cor 16.19. Contrairement à la tendance générale de cette époque, la femme Prisca est souvent citée avant son mari, Aquilas. Pour le nom Prisca, il y a plusieurs variantes en grec (par exemple, « Priscille », dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible en 18.2ss), mais certaines versions essaient d’harmoniser le nom pour ne pas confondre les lecteurs.

Sur la famille d’Onésiphore, voir 2 Tim 1.16. famille est littéralement « maison » (Nouvelle Bible Segond), c’est-à-dire, « Onésiphore et tous ceux qui habitent chez lui ». La famille rend le mot « maison ». Voir 1 Tim 3.4.

Source: Zogbo, Lynell & Ellingworth, Paul La deuxième lettre à Timothée – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.