Τὸν μὲν πρῶτον λόγον ἐποιησάμην περὶ πάντων, ὦ Θεόφιλε, ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκειν,
Acts 1
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach
The Greek that is transliterated in English as “Theophilus” is translated in the Bavarian translation by Sturmibund (publ. 1998) as “Gottlieb.” “Gottlieb” is a popular name in Bavarian-speaking Germany and Austria and has the same meaning than “Theophilus”: “friend (or ‘lover’) of God.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that signifies “friend of God.” (Source: Missão Kophós )
“Theophilus” in Libras (source )
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title.
In these verses, Theophilus is addressed in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as Teofilo-sama (テオフィロ様), combining the transliteration for “Theophilus” and the suffix title –sama. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
More information under Theophilus (biblical) .
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see this article in Christianity Today .
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 1:1:
The Greek Iēsous is “only” a proper name but one with great importance. The following quote by John Ellington (in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 401ff. ) illustrates this:
“In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told that when Mary gives birth to a son ‘you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’ (1:21). This name is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name [Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) which is a short form of a name meaning] ‘the Lord [Yahweh] saves.’ The name is very significant and is in itself especially dear to Christians around the world. (…) Unquestionably great importance is attached to the name of Jesus by Christians of all persuasions and backgrounds.”
While Iēsous (pronounced: /i.ɛː.suːs/) is transliterated as “Jesus” (pronounced /ˈdʒiːzəs/) in English (but was translated as “Hælend” [the “healing one”] in Old English — see Swain 2019) it is transliterated and pronounced in a large variety of other ways as well, following the different rules of different languages’ orthographies, writing systems and rules of pronunciation. The following is a (partial) list of forms of Jesus in Latin characters: aYeso, Azezi, Cecoc, Chesús, Chi̍i̍sū, Ciisahs, Ciise, Ciisusu, Djesu, Ɛisa, Ƹisa, Eyesu, Gesù, Gesû, Gesü, Ġesù, Ghjesù, Giêsu, ꞌGiê‑ꞌsu, Giê-xu, Gyisɛse, Hesu, Hesús, Hisus, Hisuw, Ià-sŭ, Iesen, Ié:sos, Iesu, Iesui, Iesusɨn, Iesusiva, Ié:sos, Ihu, Iisus, Iisussa, Ijeesu, iJisọsị, Iji̍sɔ̄ɔsi, Iosa, Íosa, Ìosa, İsa, I’sa, Isiso, Isõs, Ísu, Isus, Isusa, Iisussa, Isuthi, Itota, Îtu, Isuva, Izesu, Izesuq, Jasus, Jeeju, Jeesus, Jeesuse, Jeezas, Jehu, Jeisu, Jeju, Jejus, Jeso, Jesoe, Jesosa, Jesoshi, Jesosy, Jesu, Jesû, Jesua, Jesuh, Jesuhs, Jesuo, Jesús, Jésus, Jesúsu, Jethu, Jezed, Jezi, Jézi, Ježiš, Jezu, Jezus, Jézus, Jėzus, Jēzus, Jezusi, Jėzus, Jezuz, Jiijajju, Jíísas, Jiizas, Jíìzọ̀s, Jisas, Jisase, Jisasi, Jisasɨ, Jisaso, Jisesi, Jisɛ̀, Jisos, Jisọs, Jisɔs, Jisu, Jiszs, Jizọs, Jizɔs, Jizọsi, Jizọsu, Jòso, Jusu, Jweesus, Ketsutsi, Njises, Sesi, Sisa, Sísa, Sisas, Sīsū, Sizi, Txesusu, uJesu, Ujísɔ̄si, ŵaYesu, Xesosi, ´Xesús, Xesús, Yasu, Ya:su, Ɣaysa, Yecu, Yeeb Sub, Yeeh Suh, Yeesey, Yeeso, Yeesso, Yēēsu, Yēēsu, Yehsu, Yëësu, Yeisu, Yeisuw, Yeshu, Yeso, Yesò, Yëso, Yɛso, ye-su, Yésu, Yêsu, Yẹ́sụ̃, Yésʉs, Yeswa, Yet Sut, Yetut, Yexus, Yezo, Yezu, Yiesu, Yiisa, Yiisu, Yiitju, Yis, Yisɔs, Yisufa, Yitati, Yusu, ‑Yusu, :Yusu’, Zeezi, Zezi, Zezì, Zezwii, Ziizɛ, Zisas, Zîsɛ, Zjezus, Zozi, Zozii, and this (much more incomplete) list with other writings systems: ᔩᓱᓯ, ᒋᓴᔅ, Հիսուս, ᏥᏌ, ኢየሱስ, ያሱስ, ܝܫܘܥ, Ісус, Їисъ, 耶稣, იესო, ईसा, イエス, イイスス, イエスス, 예수, येशू, येशो, ਈਸਾ, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ජේසුස්, যীশু, ଯୀଶୁ, ཡེ་ཤུ་, ‘ঈছা, இயேசு, ಯೇಸು, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ယေရှု, ઇસુ, जेजू, येसु, เยซู, យេស៊ូ, ᱡᱤᱥᱩ, ယေသှု, యేసు, ᤕᤧᤛᤢ᤺ᤴ, އީސާގެފާނު, ਯਿਸੂ, ꕉꖷ ꔤꕢ ꕞ, ⵏ⵿ⵗⵢⵙⴰ, ଜୀସୁ, يَسُوعَ,ㄧㄝㄙㄨ, YE-SU, ꓬꓰ꓿ꓢꓴ, 𖽃𖽡𖾐𖼺𖽹𖾏𖼽𖽔𖾏, ꑳꌠ, ᠶᠡᠰᠦᠰ (note that some of these might not display correctly if your device does not have the correct fonts installed).
In some languages the different confessions have selected different transliterations, such as in Belarusian with Isus (Ісус) by the Orthodox and Protestant churches and Yezus (Езус) by the Catholic church, Bulgarian with Iisus (Иисус) by the Orthodox and Isus (Исус) by the Protestant church, Japanese with Iesu (イエス) (Protestant and Catholic) and Iisusu (イイスス) (Orthodox), or Lingala with Yesu (Protestant) or Yezu (Catholic). These differences have come to the forefront especially during the work on interconfessional translations such as one in Lingala where “many hours were spent on a single letter difference” (source: Ellington, p. 401).
The proper name of God in the Old Testament, Yahweh (YHWH), is rendered in most Chinese Bible translations as Yēhéhuá 耶和華 — Jehovah. According to Chinese naming conventions, Yēhéhuá could be interpreted as Yē Héhuá, in which Yē would be the family name and Héhuá — “harmonic and radiant” — the given name. In the same manner, Yē 耶 would be the family name of Jesus and Sū 稣 would be his given name. Because in China the children inherit the family name from the father, the sonship of Jesus to God the Father, Jehovah, would be illustrated through this. Though this line of argumentation sounds theologically unsound, it is indeed used effectively in the Chinese church (see Wright 1953, p. 298).
Moreover, the “given name” of Sū 稣 carries the meaning ‘to revive, to rise again’ and seems to point to the resurrected Jesus. (Source: J. Zetzsche in Malek 2002, p. 141ff., see also tetragrammaton (YHWH))
Following are languages and language groups that use a form of Isa include the following (note that this list is not complete):
In German the name Jesus (pronounced: /ˈjeːzʊs/) is distinguished by its grammatical forms. Into the 20th century the grammatical rules prescribed a unique Greek-Latin declination: Jesus (nominative), Jesu (genitive, dative, vocative), Jesum (accusative), from which today only the genitive case “Jesu” is still in active use. Likewise, in Seediq (Taroko), the morphological treatment of “Jesus” also occupies a special category by not falling under the normal rule of experiencing a vowel reduction when the object-specific suffix an is added “since it was felt that the readers might resent that the name has been changed that drastically.” (Compare Msian for “Moses” (Mosi) as an object, but Yisuan for “Jesus” (Yisu).) (Source: Covell 1998. p. 249)
In Lamba the name ŵaYesu consists of a transliteration Yesu and the prefix ŵa, a plural form for “proper names when addressing and referring to persons in any position of seniority or honor.” While this was avoided in early translations to avoid possible misunderstandings of more than one Jesus, once the church was established it was felt that it was both “safe” and respectful to use the honorific (pl.) prefix. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )
In virtually all sign languages, “Jesus” is signed with the middle finger of each hand pointing to the palm (or wrist) of the other in succession (signing the nails of the cross). In the context of Bible translation this has been pointed out as theologically problematic since the “semantic connections of the original name Jesus do point towards ‘salvation,’ they do not naturally lead to crucifixion.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 1 (2020), p. 33ff.)
“Jesus” in German Sign Language (source )
Following is the oldest remaining Ethiopian Orthodox icon of Jesus from the 14th or possibly 13th century (found in the Church of the Saviour of the World in Gurji, Ethiopia). As in many Orthodox icons, Jesus’ right hand forms the Greek letters I-C-X-C for IHCOYC XPICTOC or “Jesus Christ.” Another interpretation of the right hand is that it shows three fingers pointing to the Trinity, while the two other fingers point to Jesus’ two natures.
Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The style of the following drawing of Jesus by Annie Vallotton is described by the artist as this: “By using few lines the readers fill in the outlines with their imagination and freedom. That is when the drawings begin to communicate.” (see here )
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, copyright by Donald and Patricia Griggs of Griggs Educational Service.
Other visual representation of Jesus in TIPs include several non-Western styles of art: traditional Korean art, traditional Chinese art, modern Chinese abstract art, northern and central Thailand’s popular art, Japanese prints.
See also this devotion on YouVersion .
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, hajime-rare-ru (始められる) or “start” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
In my first book I wrote represents a Greek sentence in which the focus is on “book,” and so the Good News Translation has translated in this way. The adjective means “first,” rather than “former” or “earlier,” but does not imply that Luke intended another volume beyond Acts. The Greek word translated “book” may mean a variety of things (for example, “word,” “treatise,” “account”), but the meaning “book” (perhaps with specific reference to a writing covering more than one roll of papyrus) seems evident in the present context.
The combination “write … book” may not exist in some languages. One may “make a book,” that is, publish, but not “write a book.” Therefore, in some cases one must employ some such translation as “write a statement” or “write a treatise, an account.”
Jesus did and taught represents the Greek “Jesus began both to do and to teach.” It is thought by a few that the word “began” is emphatic and therefore should be translated; but most translators and commentators understand the phrase “began both to do and to teach” as simply an equivalent of “to do and to teach,” with no particular stress on the word “began.”
The statement all the things that Jesus did may need to be recast somewhat in certain languages as “all the work that Jesus did.” Usually there is very little trouble in finding some quite general equivalent of “do.”
In a number of languages teach requires certain types of goals, for example, “teach the words to the people” or “what he taught the people.”
The clause from the time he began his work must be related to the “did and taught” and not to the “writing of the account.” The expression “time” is often translated as “day,” as a more specific, but nonetheless general, reference to time.
The Good News Translation, along with several other translations (see Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible), adds to heaven to the verb “he was taken up” in order to make explicit for the reader what was evident in the mind of Luke. (So also in v. 9; in v. 11 Luke explicitly states into heaven.)
The passive he was taken up to heaven must be shifted to an active in many languages, and the appropriate agent for this is “God,” that is, “until the day that God took Jesus up to heaven” or “until God caused Jesus to go up to heaven.” In some languages a term “take” may suggest “grab on to” and hence must be changed to a causative.
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 .
Division 1:1–6:7
Jesus ascended to heaven, and the Holy Spirit came and enabled believers to evangelize many other Jews
The setting for this division was Jerusalem and the people were Jewish. After Jesus had instructed his followers to tell others about him, he ascended to heaven (1:2–9). As Jesus had promised the apostles (1:4–5), the Holy Spirit came (2:1–4) and enabled the believers to tell many other people about Jesus. The Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to do miracles, such as healing a lame man (3:1–10). These miracles showed people that what the apostles and other believers said was true, and that God was empowering them. However, Jewish leaders opposed the apostles and tried to prevent them from teaching people about Jesus (4:1–22). This division tells how well the believers lived together and worked together (2:42–47). However, it also tells about problems among the believers, such as Ananias and Sapphira lying (5:1–11) and people neglecting widows (6:1). But it shows how God enabled the believers to resolve these problems. In those ways the number of people who believed in Jesus increased greatly in Jerusalem (6:7).
Section 1:1–11
Jesus instructed his followers and then ascended to heaven
In this section Luke introduced the rest of the book (1:12–28:31). He indicated to whom he was writing. He also indicated that he had written about Jesus in a previous book. He gave a short summary of what Jesus did after he died on the cross. He introduced three important themes: The Holy Spirit empowering believers; the believers telling others about Jesus; and God planning for Jesus to return.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Introduction (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
The Promise of the Holy Spirit (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
Luke Writes Another Book (New Century Version)
Since this is the first section, some English versions do not have a heading. Consider what is the best way to begin a book of the Bible in your language.
Paragraph 1:1–3
1:1a
In my first book, O Theophilus: The name of the person addressed, Theophilus, occurs in the middle of the sentence. In some languages, it is more natural to have it first in the sentence. For example:
Theophilus, in my former book
In some language, it is more natural to introduced the name in a different way. For example:
To Theophilus.
The first book I wrote (New Century Version)
In my first book: This phrase refers to the Gospel of Luke. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as first indicates that Luke wrote that book before this book. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
In my former book (New International Version)
-or-
In the book that I wrote before this one
O Theophilus: The name Theophilus means “friend of God.” In Luke 1:3 Luke addressed him as “most excellent Theophilus.” This address most likely indicates that Theophilus was a person of high social standing. In your translation, you should use a natural form for writing or speaking directly to someone of high social standing. For example:
⌊honorable⌋ Theophilus
-or-
Dear Theophilus: (Good News Translation)
-or-
⌊most excellent⌋ Theophilus
However some languages do not normally express honor when greeting someone, like the way that the Berean Standard Bible translates.
1:1b–2a
I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day he was taken up to heaven: The words began and until indicate that Luke wrote in the first book about what Jesus did from the first day of his life to the day he was taken up to heaven. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
1bI wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2auntil the day when he was taken up to heaven (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
1bI first wrote to you about all that Jesus did and taught from the very first 2auntil he was taken up to heaven. (Contemporary English Version)
1:1b
wrote: The Greek word is literally “made.” It refers to putting effort into something. Luke worked hard at writing this book. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
composed (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
gave an account (Revised English Bible)
about all: The phrase about all indicates that Luke wrote about all the important events and teachings of Jesus. It does not mean that Luke wrote down everything that Jesus did and said. In some languages a literal translation would indicate that Luke actually wrote about everything Jesus did. If that is true in your language, you may want to indicate the correct meaning in your translation. For example:
about all ⌊the important things⌋
-or-
about the things
-or-
about the many things
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