complete verse (Acts 16:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 16:35:

  • Uma: “The next day the Roman ruler(s) ordered police to go to the jail and say to that head of the jail: ‘Release those two who were arrested yesterday.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “In the morning, the officials commanded the policemen, to take the order to the prison, saying, ‘Set those men free.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when morning came, the Roman officials sent the police. They said, ‘Go let out those men.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The next day, the judges sent police to go tell the guard, ‘Release those people.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Next day some pulis arrived who had been sent by the highest officials. They said to that overseer of the jail, ‘Release those people now.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 16:35

The next morning (Phillips “when morning came”) is literally “when day came.” It is doubtful if the Roman officials would have acted as early as the New English Bible (“when daylight came”) and the Jerusalem Bible (“when it was daylight”) intimate. Roman authorities is the same word translated Roman officials in verse 20.

The word translated police officers appears in the New Testament only here and in verse 38. Each of the two Roman officials in a colony (see v. 20) had a special attendant. In Latin these attendants were called lictors, and this is the rendering in the translation by Moffatt. The average reader will, however, not understand this technical Latin term, and it is best to do either as the Good News Translation has done or to follow the New English Bible (“their officers”) or Barclay (“their attendants”).

The sequence of orders in verse 35 is not easy to express in some languages. Note first the Roman authorities give an order to the police officers, and the police officers are in turn directed to order the jailer to let the men go. In languages in which orders must be expressed in direct discourse, one may translate: “The next morning the Roman authorities said to the police officers, Go and tell the jailer, Let those men go.” In some languages let those men go may be rendered as “release those men from prison” or “untie those men.”

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 16:35

Paragraph 16:35–36

16:35a

When daylight came: This phrase in Greek is literally “having become day.” This probably refers to the usual start of the business day for the magistrates. For example:

when it was day (Revised Standard Version)

officers: This refers to the people who beat Paul and Silas with rods in 16:22–23. Here they are given their official title in Greek: “rod-holders.” The Romans called these men “lictors” in their language, Latin. Lictors had authority to arrest people on behalf of the magistrates, to punish people when the magistrates told them to, and to do various ceremonial duties for the city.

Some languages have a word that combines those duties like the Latin word. However, some languages, like English, do not have a specific word that combines those duties. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use a general word for this kind of person and allow the context to indicate that it refers to the same people who beat Paul and Silas. For example:

guards (God’s Word)
-or-
magistrates (New International Version)
-or-
court officials

• Describe their duties in your translation. For example:

arresters
-or-
punishers
-or-
officials who arrest/punish people

• Use the Latin word. For example:

lictors (New Jerusalem Bible)

You may then want a footnote to explain what they did. An example footnote is:

Lictors had authority from the magistrates to arrest people, to punish people when the magistrates told them to, and to do various ceremonial duties for the city. This word refers to the people who beat Paul and Silas with rods in 16:22–23.

• Use the major language word. If people in your language group are not familiar with this word, you may then want a footnote to explain what they did. An example footnote is:

These Roman officers had authority from the magistrates to arrest people, to punish people when the magistrates told them to, and to do various ceremonial duties for the city. This word refers to the people who beat Paul and Silas with rods in 16:22–23.

16:35b

Release those men: The magistrates ordered the jailer to let Paul and Silas leave the prison. For example:

Let those men go (Good News Translation)

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