complete verse (Acts 16:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 16:23:

  • Uma: “They were beaten many times, and after that they were jailed. They said to the head of the jail: ‘You (sing.) guard those two well!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “After they were badly whipped, they were imprisoned. The officials commanded the guard to close the prison doors very tightly/firmly.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When Paul and Silas were thoroughly beaten, they were put in prison. And as for the watcher of the prison, they told him that he should carefully watch these two.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When they had severely whipped them, then they imprisoned them, and they commanded the guard to carefully watch them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They really kept on beating them and then imprisoned them. They emphatically told the overseer of the jail to guard them well.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 16:23

A severe beating is literally “with many blows,” the meaning of which is accurately rendered by the Good News Translation (see also Phillips, New English Bible). It may be necessary to indicate who did the beating and who put Paul and Silas in prison. One may therefore translate: “after the soldiers had beaten Paul and Silas very severely they threw them into jail,” or, as in some languages, “… they tied them up in jail,” or “… they locked them into the jail.” One should avoid a term such as “throw” if this means literally throwing through the air.

The subject of ordered is obviously the officials, and therefore one may render this second clause of verse 23 as “the officials ordered the jailer to lock them up securely.” It may even be necessary to place this in the form of direct discourse: “the officials said to the jailer, You must lock these men up securely.” Even the term “securely” may need to be specified as “so that they cannot possibly escape.”

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 16:23

16:23a

And after striking them with many blows: This clause is passive in the New International Version. The Greek clause is active, as is the Berean Standard Bible. For example:

they had beaten them severely (NET Bible)
-or-
the ⌊guards⌋ beat them severely

striking them with many blows: This phrase in Greek is literally “put many blows.” It refers to hitting them with rods many times. For example:

inflicted many blows (Revised Standard Version)

striking: Here the word striking refers to beating with a rod, heavy stick, or cane. It refers to the beating in 16:22b.

16:23b

they threw them into prison: This clause is passive in some English version. However, the Greek verb is active, as is the Berean Standard Bible, and implies that the guards who beat Paul and Silas (16:23a) put them in prison. For example:

they threw them into prison (NET Bible)
-or-
and forcefully put them in prison

threw them into prison: The verb threw is a figure of speech. Here it refers to forcefully taking someone to the prison and then putting him into a cell. In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

put them in jail (Contemporary English Version)

prison: This word refers to a building with rooms and doors that people can lock so that a person cannot escape.

16:23c

ordered the jailer to guard them securely: This clause is active in the Berean Standard Bible. The Greek verb is active but does not name who did the action. Probably the magistrates of 16:22b sent this command with the guards. The magistrates probably did not go to the prison. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

commanded the jailer to guard them securely (NET Bible)
-or-

⌊the magistrates⌋ sent a command to the jailer to guard them carefully

jailer: This refers to the person in charge of the prison. He was responsible to lock people in and let them out.

securely: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as securely refers to being secure or certain of something. The magistrates did not want Paul and Silas to escape.

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