close friends

The Greek in Acts 10:24 that is translated as “close friends” or similar in English is translated in Matumbi idiomatically as “friends of the heart.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

See also close friend.

complete verse (Acts 10:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 10:24:

  • Uma: “They were one night on the road, and only then arrived in Kaisarea. Upon arrival there, Kornelius with his family had already gathered, waiting for Petrus. There were also his neighbors and friends that he had called to gather in his house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The following day, they arrived at the place Kesarea. Korneliyus was already there waiting in his house. He had also gathered his relatives and his close friends there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the following day they arrived at Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and he gathered together all of his relatives and his friends.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When they then arrived at Cesarea on the second day, plural Cornelius were there waiting, along-with his close-relatives and friends whom he had invited.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “On the second day, they arrived in Ceserea. Cornelio-and-co were eagerly-awaiting them. There were many at his house for he had gathered together his relatives and his good friends.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Lalana Chinantec: “It was yesterday that they left the town of Joppa that they arrived in the town of Caesarea. Cornelius was at home waiting for Peter. At Cornelius’s house were gathered the people of his family and the people who are his friends, for Cornelius had called those people.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

Translation commentary on Acts 10:23 – 10:24

Had them spend the night is literally “treated them as guests,” but the meaning in the present context is “to treat them as overnight guests” (see Jerusalem Bible “gave them lodging” and New English Bible “gave them a night’s lodging”). As in a number of languages, the verb “invite” requires some direct discourse, for example, “Peter said to the men, Come in and spend the night here.”

The next day of verse 23 indicates the third day since the beginning of the narrative, and the following day of verse 24 indicates the fourth day. Both of these temporal expressions serve as linking devices.

Some of the brothers is rendered in certain languages as “some of the believers.” This is obviously a reference to “fellow believers.” A phrase such as together with relatives and close friends that he had invited may be expressed in many languages as a supplementary clause, for example, “relatives and close friends whom Cornelius had invited were also waiting for Peter.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .