29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
The Greek that is translated as “should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from sexual immorality” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with “abstaining from meat sacrificed to idols, no mixed marriages with pagans and no consumption of meat from animals that had not been slaughtered according to shechita regulations so that the blood can flow out completely, or the consumption of blood.”
The Greek terms that are translated uniformly as “sacrifice” or “offering” in English have the option of various terms in Luang with different shades of meaning.
For Acts 24:17, himima-rere’a (“holding two hands out”). “The focus of this term is on the gift being given by a person of lower position to a person of higher position.”
For Acts 21:26, hniurliwtu-nwali odawa (“pour out sweat [and] turn into sweaty smell”). “The focus is on the personal cost of the sacrifice.”
For Gen. 22:2-8 and Gen. 22:13, hopopa-hegeuru (“peace sign”). “The focus is on the animal or object being sacrificed, as in the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. This term was used throughout that whole chapter. This term is also used in verses that speak of Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins.”
For Acts 15:29, hoi-tani (“serve with right hand – serve with left”). “This term is used in referring to sacrifices or worship offered to idols or pagan gods.”
Source: Kathy Taber in Notes on Translation 1/1999, p. 9-16.
The Greek that is translated as “sexual immorality” or “fornication” or similar is translated much more specifically in some languages. Morelos Nahuatl has “let a man not yield himself to another woman except only to his wife. Also let a woman not yield herself to another man except only to her husband” or in Lalana Chinantec as “not proper for them to mix themselves with other women. The same is true of women for other men also.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Low German as Hurenkram or “things related to prostitution (and/or sleeping around)” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) typically as Sexgier or “sex cravings” (exceptions: Acts 15:10 and 15:29).
The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”
Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 15:29:
Uma: “We(excl.) request that you not eat food that has been used-in-worship of idols. Don’t eat blood, and don’t eat meat that has not had the blood removed first. And don’t behave wrongly with young-women or the wives of others. If you make your lives far from all that, that is enough. Our(excl.) words end here for now.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “do not eat anything that has been offered to images of gods, do not eat blood, do not eat strangled animals, and do not commit adultery. If you don’t do this, you are doing good. Up to here only. Wassalam.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Only these things are very necessary that you obey: Don’t you eat that which is offered to false gods, don’t you eat blood, and don’t you also eat that which is butchered that is not allowed to bleed, and don’t you mess with someone who is not your spouse. If you obey this, it is very good. This is all we have to say.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Don’t eat-for-viand what has been offered to idols (lit. false/imitation gods), don’t moreover eat-for-viand blood or strangled animals, and don’t moreover sleep-with anyone who is not your spouse. You will do what is right/proper if you are-patient to obey these commands. It’s only these-things that we (excl.) want to tell you.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Don’t eat what has been sacrificed which has been used by others in their worship of their pretend god, also don’t eat blood or meat which has not been bled, and another thing, taboo all kinds of immorality with one not your spouse. If you follow/obey this which we (excl.) are saying, well, good. That’s all for now.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Though the Greek text has the conjunction gar “for,” in many languages it is necessary to omit this conjunction, since it obviously does not express a causal relationship. It merely signifies that what follows is a logical outgrowth of what has preceded. In many languages it is best to represent this logical development simply by starting another sentence without a connective, as in the case of the Good News Translation.
The verb has agreed may be rendered as “are of the same mind,” “think the same thoughts,” or even, “say the same thing.”
Besides these necessary rules is a very difficult grammatical construction in Greek and though there are no textual variations present, some scholars have made suggestions as to how the text may have been damaged and therefore should be changed. The word rendered necessary rules (New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible “the essentials”) is used elsewhere in Greek as an adverb but never with the article before it, as it appears here. If we accept the text as it stands, then Luke has evidently made this word the equivalent of a noun by the addition of the definite article. As an adverb the word means “necessarily,” and so as a noun it would mean “that which is necessary”; here, in the plural, it means “those necessary (things/rules/regulations).” Besides these necessary rules may be rendered “it is only that you should follow certain rules” or “you should, however, do the following things.” In reality, however, since the regulations specified in verse 29 are all negations, it may be necessary to use a negative expression in verse 28, “but you must not do the following.”
Keep yourselves from immorality is simply “do not commit immorality” or “do not have illicit sex relations.”
You will do well may be understood either in the sense of “you will prosper” (see Phillips “you will make good progress”) or with the meaning “you will be doing right.”
Keep yourselves from doing these things may be equivalent to “if you do not do these things.” In some languages, however, it may be necessary to shift the focus somewhat by saying “if you do just as we have said.”
Good-bye (“farewell” of many translations) translates a fixed expression used at the end of letters and frequently found in the papyri. A translator may employ, as an equivalent of good-bye, whatever expression is normally used in the salutation of a letter. If in the receptor language there is no such custom employed in writing letters, such an expression may be omitted; or one may introduce, as a final phrase, the type of expression generally used when people part from one another.
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 .
food sacrificed to idols: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as food sacrificed to idols refers to food given to the priests at pagan temples. The priests would kill the animals and cook the animals and other food as an honor to the pagan deity. Then they would share it with those worshiping the pagan deity. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
food that has been offered to idols (Good News Translation) -or-
what has been sacrificed to idols (Revised Standard Version) -or-
food that has been used to worship idols -or-
food that people have sacrificed to idols
idols: The idols are statues or other physical representations of a god. People bow down in front of the idol to worship that god. See how you translated this word in 15:20.
15:29b–c
from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality: See how you translated these phrases in 15:20.
15:29d
You will do well: Like the Greek, this English clause indicates both that the person will do what is right and his life will be good.
15:29e
Farewell: The Greek word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Farewell literally means “be strong.” It was a common way to end letters. It indicated a desire on the part of the writer that things would go well for the person or persons who read the letter.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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