2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders.
The Greek that is translated as “elder” in most English versions (“presbyter” in The Orthodox New Testament, 2000) is translated as “Old-Man Leader” in Eastern Highland Otomi (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22) and in Bacama as mi kpan-kpani vɨnə hiutə: “big/old person of house of prayer” (source: David Frank in this blog post ).
Other translations include:
“person who commands among the people of Jesus” in Lalana Chinantec
“supervisor of the creed” in Guhu-Samane (source for this and three above: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
“older person” with an implication of that being a leader-like person in Matumbi (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
“person who has taken on responsibilities in the congregation” in German (das Buch translation by Roland Werner, publ. 2009-2022)
The German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) chooses for the occurrences in Revelation the translation of Würdenträger or “dignitary.” Elsewhere (for instance in 1 Peter 5:1) it has “elders, your congregational leadership.”
The term that is transliterated as “Barnabas” in English means “son of exhortation,” “son of prophecy,” “son of consolation.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997)
In American Sign Language it is translated with a combination of the signs for the letter B and “encourage” (referring to Acts 11:23). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Barnabas” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Greek term that means “one who is sent off” in its singular form and is usually transliterated as “apostle(s)” in English is (back-) translated in the following ways:
San Blas Kuna: “witnesses to God” (meaning “those who speak up and out for God” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida, except Balanta-Kentohe: Rob Koops)
Mairasi: sasiri atatuemnev nesovnaa or “sent witnesses” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Khmer: Christtout (“messenger representing Christ”) or when Jesus addresses them: Tout robas Preah Ang (“his messengers-representatives”) (source: Joseph Hong in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 233ff. )
Pwo Karen: “eyeballs” (i.e., “right-hand men”) (source: David Clark)
Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “one who goes about preaching the good word” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Noongar: Moorta Ngany Waangki-Koorl or “People I (Jesus) Send” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Ayutla Mixtec: “those who bore the word of God’s mouth”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “elders messengers” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Yakan: “commissioned ones” (source: Yakan Back Translation) — note that Scot McKnight in the EnglishThe Second Testament (publ. 2023) translates it as commissioners
Tenango Otomi: “(Jesus’) representatives” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Tsamakko: “ones-who-work-for-Christ” (source: Chris Pluger)
Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as commissioner.
In American Sign Language it is translated with a combination of the signs for “following” plus the sign for “authority” to differentiate it from disciple. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“apostles” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that shows the shape of the beard, based on the common and general visual representation of the apostles. This sign differs from the sign for a beard as used in colloquial language. The sign of the apostle does not originate from a specific biblical verse, but rather from the cultural context and later ecclesiastical tradition. “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” Lev 19:27. In the biblical era, wearing a beard was the default social and religious norm among Jewish men. The Apostle Peter is generally depicted with a short, curly, white beard. The Apostle Paul appears with a longer, pointed beard. The Apostle John is an exception, as he was the youngest disciple. In iconography, he is often the only one painted without a beard (as a youth) to emphasize his purity and age (see for instance at Transfiguration (icon)). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English means “little.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that is based on contemporary depictions and refers to the presumed baldness of the top of his head. The description originates from the 2nd-century apocryphal text titled Acts of Paul and Thecla , which represents the earliest and most detailed physical characterization of the apostle in Christian tradition (see also the icon below). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
“Paul” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Paul,” the second part refers to “apostle” (source )
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 following is a contemporary stained glass window from the Messiah Episcopal Church in St. Paul, Minnesota by Peter Dohmen. Individual glass pieces were made in Germany in accordance with Dohmen’s design, using a technique first developed by Irish monks in the 9th and 10th centuries.
“This window is dedicated to St. Paul, the great apostle and missionary, for whom our city is named. At the top of the window is a ship which symbolizes the many missionary journeys of Paul — the Church is our ship, which carries us over the way of life. In the lower section we see Paul on the road to Damascus when he saw a great light and heard our Lord’s voice, which called him to discipleship.”
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Paul (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 15:2:
Uma: “No kidding the opposition of Paulus and Barnabas contradicting that teaching of theirs. Finally the Kristen people in Antiokhia said: ‘We should send several of our companions to Yerusalem to present [lit., bring to the top] this matter to the apostles of the Lord Yesus and other elders.’ The ones they sent, were Paulus, Barnabas and several others.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Paul and Barnabas argued strongly with those people and they debated much about that teaching of theirs. Therefore the disciples of Isa in Antiyok planned-agreed that Paul and Barnabas and others of the brothers should go to Awrusalam to question the commissioned ones and the elders about that matter/problem.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now Paul and Barnabas, they didn’t receive the teaching of these people, and their arguing with them was very strong; therefore the believers there, they sent Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go to Jerusalem so that they might ask about this to the apostles and to the elders of the believers there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But Pablo and Barnabas, extreme was the way they were arguing with them. Therefore they all agreed-together that Pablo and Barnabas and some other believers would go to Jerusalem to go speak-with the apostles and leaders of the believers concerning that-aforementioned that they taught.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When Pablo and Bernabe heard, they really argued-with/challenged that teaching. Their answering-back-and-forth was intense. Therefore, when it was now like that, the believers at Antoquia decided to send Pablo and Bernabe, together with some other believers from there, to go to Jerusalem, for they would get the solution to that thing from the apostles and overseers there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Fierce is literally “not a little” (see 14.28), and is used by Luke as the means of making a strong emphasis. The New English Bible also has “fierce,” and the Jerusalem Bible “long”; while Phillips translates the entire expression as “a serious upset … and much earnest discussion.” In the present context the words translated argument and dispute are practically synonyms. It is important in rendering the expression had a fierce argument to indicate by the total context that this was not an argument between Paul and Barnabas, but with Paul and Barnabas on one side and the men who came from Judea on the other side. In some languages it may be necessary to say “Paul and Barnabas had a fierce argument with them and disputed with them about this matter.”
It was decided (see Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible “it was arranged”) is literally “they appointed.” The subject of the verb “appointed” is not at all clear from the context, and most translations prefer to render the verb phrase either by a passive construction or by an impersonal construction, since in Greek the active third person plural frequently has this meaning. If a passive or impersonal construction is impossible in the receptor language, it is perhaps best to take the subject as “the men who came from Judea,” though some commentators believe the subject was the brothers, that is, the Christians at Antioch.
In many languages it is quite impossible to use the verb “see” in the meaning of “talk with people about.” Therefore one must render the last clause as “and talked with the apostles and elders about this matter.”
In the Greek only one define article connects apostles and elders, thus intimating that they are to be regarded as a single group, rather than as two separate groups. Thus the apostles and elders appears to be a better rendering than “the apostles and the elders,” which might imply two separate groups. The final phrase about this matter must refer to the insistence of those from Judea that Gentiles were to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses. It may be necessary to specify this by translating “to talk with the apostles and elders about the Gentile believers being circumcised according to the Law of Moses.” On the other hand, it is often possible to suggest the same content by saying “to talk with the apostles and elders about the Gentile believers being circumcised according to the Law of Moses.” On the other hand, it is often possible to suggest the same content by saying “to talk with the apostles and elders about this disputed matter” or “… about the dispute.”
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 .
And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed: A problem was presented in 15:1–2a. 15:2b–c tells how the church leaders responded to the problem (the beginning of the solution to the problem). Consider how to connect the problem to what was done in response to the problem. Some ways to indicate this connection in English are:
2aPaul and Barnabas had a great dispute and debate with them about it. 2bSo Paul and Barnabas were appointed… -or-
2a When/After Paul and Barnabas argued greatly with them, 2b⌊the church leaders⌋ appointed Paul and Barnabas…
In some languages, it will be more natural to not use a conjunction here.
15:2a
And after engaging these men in sharp debate: In Greek, this is literally “And not a small dispute and debate occurring with Paul and Barnabas toward them.” “Not small” is a figure of speech (litotes). It indicates that Paul and Barnabas disputed and debated greatly with the men from Judea. Other ways to translate this clause are:
And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them (Revised Standard Version) -or-
Paul and Barnabas had a great/severe argument and debate with them -or-
Paul and Barnabas disagreed greatly and argued severely with them
sharp debate: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as debate are more literally “dissension and debate.” They are two ways to describe the same disagreement that occurred between Paul and Barnabas on one side and the Jewish believers from Judea on the other. Using two different words emphasizes the conflict.
In some languages it will be hard to find two different words for this. Or it will be more natural to combine the two words into one idea, like the Berean Standard Bible does. Here are other examples:
argued strongly -or-
got into a fierce argument with them about this (Good News Translation)
The first Greek word in this pair, which the Berean Standard Bible does not translate but the New International Version (2011) translates as “dispute,” describes a great conflict between people or groups. (Often in the New Testament the word is used with the meaning “rebellion” or “public disorder,” though that is not the meaning here.) Here the conflict is with words rather than fighting. Other ways to translate this word are:
disagreement -or-
conflict
debate: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as debate refers to discussing something from two points of view. Each person or group wants to convince the other that their opinion is correct. The word can describe discussion that is calm and polite. But in this case, it probably included loud voices and strong feelings. Use a word that communicates this somewhat negative sense, or let that come from the context. For example:
debate/discussion -or-
argument/quarrel
15:2b
Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers: In Greek this is literally “they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from them.” The context probably indicates that “they” refers to a different group than the men from Judea (15:1). “They” probably refers to the believers in Antioch (15:3a) or their leaders. The Berean Standard Bible uses a passive clause to avoid naming who appointed them and to imply it was not the men from Judea. Other ways to translate this clause are:
So ⌊the church leaders⌋ appointed Paul and Barnabas as well as some from that church -or-
the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas…accompanied by some local believers (New Living Translation (2004))
were appointed: This refers to assigning a task to someone. The church leaders chose Paul, Barnabas, and others to go to Jerusalem and ask the apostles and elders to discuss the question of circumcision. Other ways to translate this word are:
assigned -or-
decided to send (New Century Version)
15:2c
to go up to Jerusalem: As the men “came down” from Judea in 15:1a, now Paul, Barnabas, and others go up to Jerusalem. If you did not translate “down” in 15:1a, you probably will not want to translate up here. For example:
to go/journey to Jerusalem
to see the apostles and elders about this question: The Berean Standard Bible adds the verb see, which here means to visit or meet. The purpose of going to the apostles and elders was to discuss the issue of circumcision with them.
In some languages it will be sufficient to say “go (or “go up”) to the apostles and elders about this question.” In other languages, it will be more natural to add the reason for going to them. For example:
to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
to meet with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this point of disagreement (NET Bible) -or-
to receive the advice/counsel of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this matter
the apostles: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as apostles means “those sent with a message.” They are representatives or messengers of someone with authority. Here it refers to those sent by Jesus, and in particular to the first eleven disciples and Matthias, who was elected to replace Judas Iscariot. In other verses the word includes other believers whom Jesus sent to other cities with his gospel (such as Barnabas and Paul in Acts 14:14).
If you have already translated the Gospels, you can probably use the same term for apostles as you used there. Some ways to translate apostles are:
• Translate the meaning. For example:
representatives -or-
messengers -or-
sent-people
If this term is too general, you may want to add the words “of Jesus Christ” to indicate who gave their authority to them. An example is:
representatives ⌊of Jesus Christ⌋
• Use a word or phrase from another language that is well known to the people in your language.
See how you translated this word in 1:2 or 14:14.
elders: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as elders means “old men.” This word often refers to men who were respected leaders. Here it refers to leaders in the church below the higher position of “apostle.”
In some languages the phrase “old men” does not imply that the men were leaders. If that is true in your language, you may need to use a different word. For example:
leaders
about this question: The Greek word that is translated here as question is the same one that was translated as “debate” in 15:2a. This refers to the issue or question: do believers have to be circumcised in order to be saved? Other ways to translate this are:
about this matter (Good News Translation) -or-
about this point of disagreement (NET Bible) -or-
about this topic/talk that they disagreed about -or-
regarding circumcising Gentile believers and making them obey the laws of Moses
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