inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 20:8)

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 exclusive form (only including Luke, Paul, their 7 companions, and the members of the church in Troas).

Source: SIL International Translation Department (1999).

complete verse (Acts 20:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 20:8:

  • Uma: “On Sunday we (excl.) gathered to eat together with our (excl.) one-faith relatives in Troas. Our(excl.) meeting house was a tall house. We(excl.) met in the room that was at the very top. Many lamps were lit. Long was the speech of Paulus speaking to the people gathered there. He spoke until the middle of the night, because it was his intention to leave the next morning.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Our (excl.) gathering (-place) was upstairs and (there were) many lamps there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were many lamps there in the room up above where we had gathered.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There were many lights in the room upstairs where-we (excl.) -were-gathered.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That place where we (excl.) were gathered was on the third storey, and there were many lights.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 20:8

Commentators disagree as to why Luke mentioned that there were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. It seems quite probable, however, that Luke did this in order to explain one of reasons that Eutychus fell off to sleep: the many lamps burning must have made the room hot and stuffy and contributed to Eutychus’ sleepy condition.

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 .