The term that is transliterated as “Timothy” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that combines the signs for the letter T and “young,” referring to 1 Timothy 4:12 et al. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Timothy” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The name that is transliterated as “Erastus” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that is reminiscent of signs such as “treasurer” or “city administrator of the city” (in reference to Romans 16:23). (Source: Missão Kophós )
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:22:
Uma: “From there, he ordered two of his workers to go ahead [of him] to Makedonia. Their names were Timotius and Erastus. Yet Paulus himself, he was still [emphatic] in the province of Asia.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Therefore he told two of his helpers, Timoteo and Erastus, to go on ahead to Makedoniya while he was yet there in Asiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then he caused to go ahead of him to Macedonia his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus. But he stayed behind for a while in the province of Asia.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He-sent-ahead (lit. caused-to-precede) therefore to Macedonia Timoteo and Erastus who were two of his helpers, and he was left in the province Asia which was where-Efeso -was-located.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When he had decided that, he caused his two helpers, Timoteo and Erasto, to go ahead to Macedonia. He himself stayed behind still in the province of Asia.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Macedonia” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that shows pillars, a hallmark of the architecture used there in the Roman period and also prominently used today at Archaeological Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia (see here ). (Source: Missão Kophós )
The name Erastus occurs in Romans 16.23 (there called the city treasurer of Corinth) and in 2 Timothy 4.20. It is not certain whether or not these three passages refer to the same person. The phrase two of his helpers may be rendered as “two of the men who worked together with Paul.”
In the province of Asia is literally “in Asia,” a phrase which many commentators understand in the sense of Ephesus.
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 .
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia: Paul sent these two men to tell the believers in Macedonia that he was coming. The believers in Macedonia had promised to send money to the poor believers in Judea. So Timothy and Erastus also went to tell them to get the money ready.
his helpers: This phrase in Greek is literally “the (ones) serving him.” It indicates that Timothy and Erastus helped Paul do his work for the gospel in Ephesus. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
his…assistants (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
his workers
19:22b
while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia: Paul stayed in the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was in the province of Asia.
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly imply that he left Ephesus. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the implied information in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Paul remained in the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was in the province of Asia.
• Explain the implied information in your translation. For example:
while he stayed ⌊in Ephesus⌋ in the province of Asia
the province of Asia: See how you translated this phrase in 19:10.
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