complete verse (Acts 15:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 15:30:

  • Uma: “After they had exchanged greetings, those who had been send left together with Paulus and Barnabas going to the town of Antiokhia. When they arrived at Antiokhia, they gathered all the believers in the Lord Yesus, and they handed over to them the letter that they had carried from Yerusalem.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the men who were told to take that letter went. They went to Antiyok and when they arrived there, they gathered the ones trusting in Isa and handed the letter to them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the ones whom they sent left, and they came to Antioch and they gathered together all of the believers, and they delivered to them the letter.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When they had-finished-writing, they sent-off the ones-carrying-it, and they went to Antiok. When they arrived there, they caused-the congregation -to-be-gathered in order to give them the letter.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, they then sent off Pablo-and-co. When they arrived at Antioquia, they gathered together the believers and then handed over the letter.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 15:30

Luke begins this verse with a particle that he often uses to introduce a new scene; the Good News Translation has indicated this, not by a literal reproduction of the words, but by a paragraph division (on this word see 1.6). The Good News Translation has made the subject of were sent off explicit, that is, the messengers (so also Moffatt; see An American Translation* “the delegates,” Jerusalem Bible “the party”); and “the group” (Revised Standard Version, Phillips, New English Bible “the congregation”) has been qualified as the whole group of believers.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 15:30

Section 15:30–35

The believers at Antioch read the letter and were happy

In this section, Judas and Silas took the letter from the church leaders to the believers at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas probably went with them. The believers read it and were glad. Judas and Silas also encouraged them. After a while Judas and Silas returned to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and others taught and preached there.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The believers in Antioch received the letter and were encouraged
-or-
Judas and Silas took the letter to Antioch and the believers there read it
-or-
The letter was well received

Paragraph 15:30–35

15:30a

The Greek conjunction often translated as “therefore” introduces this verse. The Christian leaders sent the men because they wanted all believers to hear what they decided (15:27–29). For example:

So (Revised Standard Version)

But in some languages it is more natural to omit the conjunction and imply the connection.

the men were sent off: This probably refers to Judas, Silas, Barnabas, and Paul. But it is possible that others went as well. The apostles and elders sent them to Antioch. This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊The apostles and elders⌋ sent the men
-or-

⌊They⌋ sent the ⌊four⌋ men

went down to Antioch: The phrase went down indicates that Jerusalem is high and Antioch is low. The men probably went by the same road as in 15:1. Translate the word down in the same way as in 15:1.

15:30b

where they assembled the congregation: The word congregation refers to the believers in Antioch. For example:

where they gathered the whole group of believers (Good News Translation)

delivered the letter: The word delivered refers to giving the letter. They gave it to the believers in Antioch. The Greek word probably implies an official act of giving. After receiving the letter, the believers in Antioch were responsible to read the letter and obey it.

© 2001, 2021 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
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.