complete verse (Acts 19:38)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:38:

  • Uma: “So, if Demitrius with his one-work friend want to accuse anyone, they must definitely bring it up to the judges of the village. There is are times set, times for the judges to judge cases.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If Demetiri and his companions want to accuse these people, there are days for judging and the ones judging are there. Let them accuse (them) there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if Demetrius and his party have something to accuse them of, there are set days for judging, and there are also people who are appointed to judge. It is necessary that they make their accusation there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for Demetrius and his fellow metal-workers, if they have evidence-to-present for a person’s crime, there are judges and rulers of the town in their offices. That’s where-they ought to go -file-charges.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore, as for Demetrio here and his companion metal-workers, if there is what they have really found fault with against other people, our judging-place is indeed open. It would be good if they submit to the governor the case they want to bring and have it judged there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 19:38

Have an accusation against someone may be rendered as “wish to accuse someone” or “have reason to accuse someone.”

The regular days for court translates a rather unusual use of a word in Greek, but commentators and translators agree that this is the meaning. In referring to the regular days for court, one may say “the court is open regularly” or “on certain days one may come before the court.”

The authorities is literally “the (Roman) governors,” but there was only one Roman governor to a province, and so the term is best taken in a general sense, either of the governor himself or of one of his representatives who regularly held court in each of the Asian cities.

In a number of languages it may be useful to combine the two clauses there are the regular days for court and there are the authorities. One may say, for example, “on regular days the authorities sit in the court to judge cases.”

It is important that they in the last clause of verse 38 refer to Demetrius and his fellow workers and to such other persons as they may accuse. This final clause may be rendered in some languages as “there people can accuse one another.” This avoids a specific reference to Demetrius and the workers, but provides a general statement which is applicable to the immediately preceding clauses concerning the operation of the court.

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 .