3rd person pronoun with high register (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used. In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also third person pronoun with exalted register.

Translation commentary on Acts 17:31

The Greek expressions “in justice” and “in a man” mean, as the Good News Translation has indicated, with justice (see An American Translation* and New English Bible “justly”) and by means of a man. The expression fixed a day may be rendered as “has decided that on a day” or “has determined a particular day.”

Will judge the whole world must be rendered in many languages as “will judge everyone in the world.” Obviously it is not the earth itself which is to be judged, but “people on the earth.” Judge … with justice is equivalent to “judge justly,” “judge rightly,” or “judge with fairness.” Sometimes this expression is rendered in a somewhat negative fashion—for example, “judge without making a mistake” or “judge so that no one can complain.”

By means of a man indicates a secondary agency. This may be expressed as “he will cause a man to do the judging for him” or “a man whom he has chosen will do the judging.”

Given proof of this is literally “having given faith,” but most commentators understand “faith” in the present context to mean “assurance” or “proof.” It is possible, as a few have done, to understand this entire phrase to mean that God has given all men the opportunity to have faith. Has given proof of this may be equivalent to “has shown clearly that he would do this” or “has shown so well that no one can doubt.”

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 17:31

17:31a

For: This conjunction introduces the reason that people should repent. For example:

because (Revised Standard Version)

He has set a day when He will judge the world: The word set indicates that God chose a day when He will judge the world. Another way to translate this clause is:

he has appointed/marked a day when he will judge the world

world: Here the word world refers to all the people in the world. For example:

world’s people (Contemporary English Version)

with justice: This phrase in Greek is literally “in righteousness.” It indicates that God will judge people according to what is right. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

justly (Revised English Bible)
-or-
in righteousness (NET Bible)

17:31b

by the Man He has appointed: God gave the task of judging the world to the Man He has appointed. In that way God will judge the world. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

by means of a man he has chosen (Good News Translation)
-or-
And he has appointed a man to judge for him.

This phrase refers to Jesus, as 17:31c–d makes clear. But Paul purposely did not name him here.

17:31c

He has given proof of this: The word this refers to God appointing the man to judge all people. In some languages the word “that” is more natural.

has given proof of this: The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead clearly shows that God appointed him to judge all people. For example:

God has publicly proved this (New Jerusalem Bible)

everyone: Here the word everyone refers generally to people.

17:31d

by raising Him from the dead: This phrase indicates that God caused Jesus to become alive again after he had died. In that way God proved that Jesus would judge all people.

raising Him from the dead: This clause refers to God causing Jesus to live again. Jesus died on the cross but three days later God made him alive again. Other ways to translate this clause are:

raising that man from death (Good News Translation)
-or-
bringing that man back to life (God’s Word)
-or-
causing him to live again ⌊after he had died⌋

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