inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 19:25)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the workmen).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Acts 19:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:25:

  • Uma: “One day, he gathered his one-work companions with other skilled silver workers, and he said to them: ‘Relatives, you know yourselves that we receive much income from this work of ours.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They were all called by Demetiri and told to gather. He also called other men who had the same work as that work of theirs. When they were all there, he said to them, ‘Friends, you know that our (incl.) income is very good in this work.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for this Demetrius, he gathered together his workers and some other craftsmen like them, and he said, ‘Brethren, you all know that we have become prosperous in our craft.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore Demetrius caused-to-gather those whom he was salarying and his fellow metal-workers and he said, ‘My companions, you know that we are getting much money from this work of ours.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What Demetrio did was, he gathered all his personnel and others for whom that was their livelihood. When they were gathered, he said, ‘My companion metal-workers, we are all aware that it is this livelihood which has caused us to be strong (i.e. well off).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

be aware / be known / look (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-shōchi (ご承知), a combination of “be aware” (shōchi) and the honorific prefix go-. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

everyone (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title.

In these verses, the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “everyone” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as mina-san (皆さん), combining the word for “everyone” (nī) and the suffix title –san. This creates a higher sense of familiarity and equality than for instance the same term with the more respectful title –sama at young people (Japanese honorifics). (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 19:25

Demetrius apparently called together not only those who worked directly under his supervision, but all other men in the business of making model temples. One may translate this first part of verse 25 as “so he called together all of his workers, and all others who made small silver temples of Artemis.”

The word rendered prosperity appears only here in the New Testament; it is rendered “prosperity” (An American Translation*, Jerusalem Bible), “financial prosperity” (Barclay), “wealth” (Revised Standard Version), and “high standard of living” (New English Bible). The closest equivalent to prosperity in some languages is “we have much money because of this work we do” or “our riches depend (hang) on this work we do.”

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 19:25

19:25a

Demetrius assembled the craftsmen: This clause refers to summoning the craftsmen. Other ways to translate this clause are:

These he gathered together (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
called a general meeting of them (New Jerusalem Bible)

the workmen in related trades: This clause in Greek is literally “the workmen also occupied with such things.” Demetrius called together other men who had similar work to the silversmiths. They probably all made things related to the temple of Artemis and the worship of this goddess. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

others whose work was like theirs (Good News Translation)
-or-
the workmen of similar trades (New American Standard Bible)

workmen: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as workmen refers to any kind of worker. It does not imply skilled workers like the Greek word in 19:24b (“craftsmen”).

19:25b

this business is our source of prosperity: This clause in Greek is literally “from this trade/work is prosperity to us.” It indicates that the workers earned a fair amount of money from the work that they did. It indicates that they were prosperous. They earned enough money to buy all the things they needed and have some extra. It does not indicate that they were wealthy. Other ways to translate this clause are:

we earn plenty of money from this work
-or-
we are getting much money from this work of ours
-or-
our income is very good in this work

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