complete verse (Acts 17:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 17:12:

  • Uma: “In-the-end, many of the Yahudi people believed in Yesus, also many big-named Yunani people, they also believed in Yesus, both men and women.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Many people of Berea trusted already in Isa including prominent women from the Girik tribe, and Girik men also.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Many of them believed in Jesus, and many of these were respected Greek women, and also there were some Greek men who believed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So many of them believed, along-with many Gentile men and rich women.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore many of those Jews believed. As for the Griego, it was like that too. Many were their women of high/important blood who believed and many men also.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 17:12

There are two possible interpretations of verse 12. One may assume that many of them refers to those who were in the synagogue and so were thus either Jews or the so-called “devout people” who accepted Jewish beliefs about God but who had not became proselytes. In this case, the additional expression many Greek women and many Greek men would refer to other persons who had become interested in the message that Paul preached. On the other hand, it is possible to understand many of them believed as a general expression made more specific by the additional phrases many Greek women and many Greek men. If the latter is the interpretation adopted, one may translate: “Many of the people there believed. This included many Greek women of high social standing and many Greek men.” Otherwise one may translate: “Many of the people there believed, and in addition there were many Greek women of high social standing and many Greek men who also believed.”

Of high social standing translates the same word as was used in 13.50. This expression of high social standing may be rendered as “important” or, as in some contexts, “rich” (a designation for “rich” is equivalent in some societies to “important”).

If some goal to the verb believed is required, it is probably better to put in “Jesus” or even “Lord Jesus” rather than “what Paul had said.” On the other hand, one can also introduce the phrase the word of God from verse 13.

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 17:12

17:12a

As a result: In the Greek 17:12a starts with a Greek phrase that means “accordingly” or “therefore.” The Berean Standard Bible translates it as As a result. Here is another way to translate this:

So, (New Century Version)

But the New International Version and some English versions allow the context to indicate the connection and do not translate the Greek phrase.

believed: Here this word means “accepted that the message about Jesus as the Christ is true.” It here implies that the person who believes will commit himself to following Jesus.

In some languages it may be good to use more than one verb to express this type of belief. For example:

believed ⌊in Jesus⌋ ⌊and commit to him⌋
-or-
believed ⌊and follow Jesus⌋

See how you translated this word in 4:4 or 16:34.

17:12b

quite a few prominent Greek women and men: The Greek words are literally “of prominent Greek women and of men, not a few.” The idiom “not a few” emphasizes the meaning of “many.” It applies to both women and men here. The word Greek also applies to both women and men here. For example:

many Greek women of high social standing and many Greek men (Good News Translation)

prominent: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as prominent refers to someone of high social status. Other ways to translate this word are:

of high social standing (Good News Translation)
-or-
important (New Century Version)

See how you translated this word in 13:50 (“prominence”).

Greek: Since the people of Berea spoke the Greek language, the word Greek here refers to people who spoke Greek as their first language. It may imply people from other places (but not Jews). However, you should translate it as people who spoke Greek as their first language here.

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