gathering / spreading out / rising

In Gbaya, the notion of gathering, spreading out, and/or rising (like smoke or fleeing people) is emphasized with the ideophone nduɗɛɛ.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

Aristarchus

The name that is transliterated as “Aristarchus” in English means “best ruling,” “the best ruler.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that combines “accompanying” (Aristarchus was mentioned on Paul’s three missionary journey — see for instance Acts 27:2), and “best leader” (the meaning of the name). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Aristarchus” in Libras (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see this article in Christianity Today .

complete verse (Acts 19:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:29:

  • Uma: “That disturbance spread all through the town. From there, the masses thronged to the big meeting house in the town. They caught Gayus and Aristarkhus, and took them with them to the meeting house. Gayus and Aristarkhus were both Makedonia people who were accompanying Paulus on his journey.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The-result-was/finally that whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gayus and Aristarkus, men of Makedoniya who were travelling companions of Paul. They dragged the two inside the large meeting house.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the trouble spread through the whole town. Now the two companions of Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus, who were from Macedonia, the people seized them and took them rapidly into the big house where the people were gathered.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It was no long-time before (lit. and) all the inhabitants were already disrupted/in-a-state-of-confusion. They abruptly-captured Gaius and Aristarkus who were Pablo’s traveling-companions from-Macedonia. Then they all-ran-as-a-group to drag-them-resisting to the spectating-place of the inhabitants.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What else but the whole city was troubled. Without anything further, they all then hurried to their gathering place. Some were dragging two people who were companions of Pablo, who were Gayo and Aristarco the taga Macedonia.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Macedonia

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 )


“Macedonia” in Libras (source )

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Macedonia (source: Bible Lands 2012)

More information about Macedonia (Greece) .

Translation commentary on Acts 19:29

Although “confusion” (Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, New English Bible) correctly represents the original meaning of the word used by Luke, the present context seems to demand something stronger, and so the Good News Translation and others have translated it uproar (Phillips, Jerusalem Bible). In many languages, however, one cannot speak of “an uproar spreading.” Rather, one must say “more and more people throughout the whole city began to shout.”

In Greek the subject of grabbed is left undefined, and most translators have simply stated “they grabbed.” It is clear from the context that the people of the city are referred to (see An American Translation* “the people”), though in the present setting they are acting as a mob (so also Jerusalem Bible).

Gaius and Aristarchus are here defined as two Macedonians, while in 20.4 Aristarchus is said to have come from Thessalonica and Gaius from Derbe. But Gaius was a quite common name (see Romans 16.23; 1 Corinthians 1.14; 3 John 1), and it is very possible that two different persons are referred to in this chapter and in the following.

With them translates the same adverbial expression as was rendered gathered in 1.14 (see the discussion there).

In translating the expression rushed with them, it is important to avoid the impression that Gaius and Aristarchus rushed along with them. Rather, “they were caused to rush to the theater” or “they dragged them quickly to the theater.”

The theater in Ephesus was quite large; its seating capacity has been estimated at almost 26,000. In translating theater it is important to avoid any term which would suggest simply a cinema. Although in ancient times theaters were constructed primarily for the presentation of public events, including drama, they were also used for town meetings. Unless one is prepared to have an adequate marginal note to explain the significance of a theater, it may useful in this passage to use a descriptive equivalent of theater by translating “to the place where the people in the city gathered.”

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 19:29

19:29a

Soon the whole city was in disarray: This clause in Greek is literally “And the city was filled with confusion/uproar.” It indicates that more and more people were shouting and unsure what the problem was. It also indicates that the people were upset or troubled. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The city was filled with the confusion and uproar
-or-

⌊That caused⌋ a disturbance to spread all through the city
-or-
All/Most of the people in the city became troubled and angry
-or-

⌊That caused⌋ most people throughout the city to become disturbed

19:29b

Only some people in the crowd grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, but the whole crowd rushed to the theater.

rushed together: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as together refers to a group of people having the same idea or purpose. For example:

rushed as one man (New International Version)

the theatre: This word refers to a large outdoor structure where thousands of people could hear the person speaking before them. It was usually half of a circle in shape. Below is the amphitheater of Ephesus as it looks today.

It was a place where people gathered for public meetings or to watch people perform dramas. The amphitheater in Ephesus is a half-circle and more than twenty thousand people could sit in it.

In some languages people are not familiar with this kind of structure. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

the city meeting place
-or-
the place where the people of the city gathered ⌊for large meetings⌋

• Use the word for amphitheater from the common language in your area. If people are not familiar with this word, you may want to explain the meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

This word refers to a large outdoor structure where thousands of people could hear the person speaking before them.

19:29c

dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dragging with them indicates that the people grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus and took them with them to the theater. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus…and rushed with them to the theater. (Good News Translation)
-or-
they grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus and brought them along
-or-

Gaius and Aristarchus, who were from Macedonia, the people seized them and took them

19:29d

Paul’s traveling companions: Gaius and Aristarchus traveled with Paul from Macedonia to Ephesus.

from Macedonia: The Greek word is literally “Macedonians.” It indicates that Gaius and Aristarchus normally lived in the province of Macedonia. It may imply that Macedonia was their native province.

General Comment on 19:29d

19:29d is additional information about Gaius and Aristarchus. In some languages it is more natural to have this information in a separate sentence. For example:

29b–cThe people seized Gaius and Aristarchus and rushed as one man into the theater. 29dThese two men were from Macedonia and had traveled with Paul.
-or-

29d
Two men from Macedonia, Gaius and Aristarchus, had traveled with Paul from their home province. 29b–cThe people seized them and rushed as one man into the theater.

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