complete verse (Acts 20:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 20:3:

  • Uma: “He dwelt there for three months. After those three months, there was an intention of his to board a ship back to the land of Siria. But at that time, there was news that said: the Yahudi people planned to kill him. That’s why he said: ‘It is better if I go by land, retracing my journey to the province of Makedonia.’ So, he indeed when to Makedonia.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He stayed there three months. Then he got ready to sail soon for Siriya. But when he learned/knew that the Yahudi planned to kill him, he decided/thought to go home by way of Makedoniya again.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He lived there for three months, and then he decided that he would ride on a ship because he would go to Syria. The Jews decided also at that time that they would seize him as he left. Therefore he changed his mind because he decided again that he would return back the way he came going to Macedonia.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He stayed there for three months, then he thought he would ride a ship going to Syria. But when he would have set-out, he came-to-know that Jews had made-an-agreement to kill him, so he took-another-route by walking-through Macedonia.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Three months is how long he was there in Grecia, and then he wanted to travel again, intending to sail to go to Siria. But since he happened to hear that apparently, the Jews had agreed together to lie in wait for him, he decided not to sail after all. Therefore he turned back and went again to 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 20:3

The three months period was probably the winter season. Paul tried to avoid sea travel during wintertime (see 27.12; 28.11; Titus 3.12). It was customary for many Jews to travel back to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Passover, and for this purpose there were many pilgrim ships which carried them from the cities of this region to Jerusalem. It was probably Paul’s intention to go by one of these ships, but since it would have been easy for the Jews aboard ship to stir up others against Paul and to have had him killed, he decided it would be better to travel by land.

In some languages the relationship between the two clauses involving preparations to go to Syria and the discovery that the Jews were plotting against him must be somewhat altered in their temporal relationships—for example, “while he was getting ready to go to Syria, he discovered that the Jews…” or “he was getting ready to go to Syria, but then he discovered that the Jews….”

In this type of context discovered may be rendered in some languages as “heard” or “learned from some people.” In most receptor languages one cannot translate this term discovered by the same word which may be used to describe the finding of some unusual object.

Plotting against him may simply be translated as “planning to kill him.”

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 20:3

20:3a

where he stayed three months: This clause tells the reader more about Greece. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other places named Greece and Paul only stayed in this one. If that is true in your language, translate this information in a way that tells more about what Paul did in Greece. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

He stayed there three months.

20:3b–c

And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia: The words And when introduce the reason that Paul decided to go back through Macedonia. Another way to translate this connection is:

He was getting ready to go to Syria when he discovered that there were Jews plotting against him; so he decided to go back through Macedonia. (Good News Translation)

20:3b

the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria: In the Greek clause and the Berean Standard Bible, the circumstances are given after what happened. In some languages the circumstances must be given first. For example:

just as he was about to sail for Syria, the Jews made a plot against him

the Jews formed a plot against him: The phrase formed a plot against indicates that the Jews planned ways to harm Paul. Other ways to translate this clause are:

some Jews were planning something against him (New Century Version)
-or-
he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him (God’s Word)

the Jews: Here this phrase does not imply all the Jews. Luke did not say where these Jews were from. It may have been Jews from the nearest city (some scholars think it is Corinth) or Jews traveling from their homes elsewhere to Jerusalem for the Passover. Do not say where these Jews were from and do not imply that all Jews made this plot. For example:

some Jews

he was about to sail for Syria: This clause indicates that Paul would soon get on a ship that was going to Syria. For example:

he was about to board a ship going to Syria

Syria: Syria was a province under Roman rule. It was far east of Greece. It is previously mentioned in Acts three times (15:23, 15:41, 18:18). If you indicated that Syria was a province in one of those verses, you may not need to indicate that it refers to a province again here.

But in some languages people are not familiar with this name. You may want to indicate again what the name refers to here. For example:

⌊the province of⌋ Syria

See how you spelled this name in 15:23.

20:3c

go back through Macedonia: The phrase go back probably refers to returning to Syria. Here he decided to take a longer way back through Macedonia. He had already visited Macedonia on this trip (20:1–2).

In some languages it is clearer to say where he would go back. If that is true in your language, refer to Syria. For example:

go back ⌊there⌋ through Macedonia
-or-
go back ⌊to Syria⌋ through Macedonia ⌊again⌋

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