Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 18:10:
Uma: “Because many are the people in this town who will become my people. I myself will be-with you (sing.). No-one will lay hands on you (sing.).'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For I am there accompanying you,’ he said. ‘Nothing can harm you because I have many people in this place.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “because I am with you. There is no one who will be able to harm you. There are many people yet who will believe in me in this town.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “On one night, Pablo dreamed that the Lord Jesus said to him, ‘Don’t be afraid, no one will injure you (sing.), because I will companion you (sing.). Persevere therefore in preaching without being silent, because there are yet many inhabitants here who will become my people.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “for I won’t leave you alone. I am always taking care of you, so that no one at all can do you wrong by physical-harm or persecution, for there are many more people here in the city whom I will cause to believe.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
No one will be able to harm you translates “no one will come against you to do you harm.” Normally a construction of this type would express purpose; however, in light of verse 12, where an attack was made against Paul, it may be that the meaning is result rather than purpose. Jerusalem Bible suggests purpose, “no one will even attempt to hurt you,” as does Barclay, “no one will try to harm you”; see also New English Bible text and note. On the other hand, Moffatt, “no one shall attack and injure you,” and C. B. Williams, “no one is going to attack you so as to injure you,” suggest result as the meaning of the infinitive construction.
My people recalls the Old Testament terminology, “God’s people”—here not the Jewish people, but the believers. My people may be translated as “people who belong to me.”
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 .
For: This word introduces the reason for Paul to not be afraid and to continue speaking to people about Jesus. For example:
because (NET Bible)
Some English versions allow the context to imply the connection and do not translate the Greek word.
I am with you: This clause indicates that Jesus supported Paul, empowered him, guided him, and helped him. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to physical presence. If that is true in your language, translate in a way that includes the correct meaning. For example:
I support you -or-
I will help you always
no one will lay a hand on you: The Greek words here are literally “no one will attack you to harm you.” The goal of the words lay a hand on is to do harm. The Jews opposed Paul and brought him to court (18:12), but they were unable to harm him. So this attack did not result in harm to Paul. Other ways to translate these clauses are:
no one will lay a hand on you to harm you (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
no one will attack you that will result in harm to you -or-
no attack shall harm you (Revised English Bible)
lay a hand on: Here the words lay a hand on refers to coming against someone for the purpose of harming them. Other ways to translate this word are:
fight -or-
come/be against
18:10b
because I have many people in this city: The word because introduces the second reason for Paul to not be afraid and to continue speaking to people about Jesus. For example:
⌊Do not be afraid and continue to speak⌋ because I have many people in this city -or-
⌊Do those things⌋ because I have many people in this city
Some English versions allow the context to imply the connection and do not translate the Greek word. They separate this reason from the promise of a lack of harm by starting a new sentence. For example:
Many people in this city belong to me. (Contemporary English Version)
I have many people in this city: This clause in Greek is literally “a (group of) people to me is big in this city.” It indicates that Jesus has already chosen many people in Corinth to become believers. It encouraged Paul to preach because many people would become believers. Other ways to translate this clause are:
there are many in this city who are my people (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
Many people in this city are ready to become my people
people: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as people indicates that Jesus has chosen a group of people from the Jews and Gentiles to believe in him. They together become God’s people in Jesus. For example:
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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