complete verse (Acts 20:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 20:26:

  • Uma: “That is why I make it plain to you from the start today, if there are any of you who receive disaster in the future, it is no longer my fault.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore I am telling you this day, that if there is one among you who will go to hell, I cannot be blamed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I say to you that if there is even one of you that is not freed from God’s punishment, I have not sinned against him,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore I definitely/firmly tell you now, if any of you is separated from God to be punished, it is not my fault (lit. sin),” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore, I testify now today that if anyone falls into punishment from God, I won’t have anything to answer for over it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 20:26

So draws a conclusion from what precedes: since Paul has preached to them the Kingdom of God, he is not responsible if any of (them) should be lost. Note that the particle so should relate the first part of verse 26 to the first part of verse 25 rather than to the second sentence, which speaks of the people never seeing Paul again.

The verb translated solemnly declare is literally “testify,” but in the present passage it obviously has a very strong meaning, and the Good News Translation has attempted to bring this out (see Jerusalem Bible “I swear”). The closest equivalent in some languages is “I tell you strongly” or “I tell you with important words.”

The biblical idiom “I am pure from your blood” has been rendered by the Good News Translation as if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible. See the similar statement in 18.6. When used in this way, “blood” is equivalent to “death,” and so the phrase could be taken to mean “I am not responsible for your death.” However, since Paul is speaking of eternal death, the phrase is perhaps best rendered as in the Good News Translation: if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.

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 20:26

20:26

Paul spoke as a witness on his own behalf as he declared how he had conducted himself among them. At every opportunity, Paul had told people about Jesus. So if any of those people did not believe in Jesus and God sent them to hell, it would not be because Paul did not tell them about Jesus. Use language that is appropriate for solemnly declaring something.

testify: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as testify is similar to the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “testifying” in 20:24d. It probably has the same meaning here: “proclaim earnestly.” Other ways to translate this word are:

declare (New International Version)
-or-
tell…solemnly (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
definitely/firmly tell

this day: This word in Greek is literally: “on the today day.” It emphasizes the day that Paul spoke these words. For example:

this very day (Good News Translation)

But the New International Version and some other English versions do not translate the emphasis. The Berean Standard Bible translates it as this day .

I am innocent of the blood of all men: Here the phrase the blood is a metaphor for death. To have “someone’s blood upon you” means to be guilty of killing them. Paul used this metaphor here to indicate that he preached about Jesus at every opportunity. He was innocent of neglecting to tell them. Therefore God, when he judges all people, would not hold him responsible for anyone not believing in Jesus.

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate the words literally and explain the metaphor in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Paul used this metaphor here to indicate that he preached about Jesus at every opportunity. He was innocent of neglecting to tell them about him. Therefore God, when he judges all people, would not blame him for anyone not believing in Jesus.

• Translate the meaning of the metaphor in your translation. For example:

if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible (Good News Translation)
-or-
I am not responsible for the [spiritual] death of any of you. (God’s Word)
-or-
I am innocent of neglecting to tell any of you about Jesus, so God will not blame me if anyone does not believe in him.

You may then want to indicate the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally: “I am innocent of the blood of all ⌊people⌋.”

innocent: The word innocent means “not guilty of a crime or sin.” God told him to tell others about Jesus, and Paul did that. Other ways to translate this word are:

have not sinned regarding
-or-
am not guilty of

of all men: This phrase in Greek is literally “of all.” Paul preached about Jesus at every opportunity in every place he went.

Here the English word men refers to people. For example:

of all people

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