The name that is transliterated as “Agabus” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “hunger” and “wrist.” Agabus prophesied world hunger (Acts 11:28) and Paul’s imprisonment by binding his own feet and hands with Paul’s belts (Acts 21:10 and following). (Source: Missão Kophós )
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 (excluding the addressee).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 21:10:
Uma: “When we (excl.) had been at the house of Filipus for several days, a person from Yudea arrived, named Agabus. Agabus had the ability to utter God’s Words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When we (excl.) had been there a few days, a man arrived there from the land of Yahudiya named Agabus. He also spread/made-known words of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When we had stayed there a few days, Agabus arrived, one of the people who was inspired by God who had come from Judea.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When we (excl.) were almost one week there, a prophet arrived from Judea who was named Agabus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When we (excl.) had been there quite a while now, a person arrived from Judea named Agabo. He also was a prophet.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Eugene Nida wrote the following about the translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are typically translated with “prophet” in English:
“The tendency in many translations is to use ‘to foretell the future’ for ‘prophesy,’ and ‘one who foretells the future’ for ‘prophet.’ This is not always a recommended usage, particularly if such expressions denote certain special native practices of spirit contact and control. It is true, of course, that prophets of the Bible did foretell the future, but this was not always their principal function. One essential significance of the Greek word prophētēs is ‘one who speaks forth,’ principally, of course, as a forth-teller of the Divine will. A translation such as ‘spokesman for God’ may often be employed profitably.” (1947, p. 234f.)
Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap for details):
Ayutla Mixtec: “one who talks as God’s representative”
Isthmus Mixe: “speaker for God” (source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Mezquital Otomi / Paasaal: “God’s messenger” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff. and Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
Noongar: Warda Marridjiny or “News Traveling” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Kutu: mtula ndagu or “one who gives the prediction of the past and the future” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
French 1985 translation by Chouraqui: inspiré or “inspired one” (“someone in whom God has breathed [Latin: in + spiro]) (source: Watson 2023, p. 45)
In Ixcatlán Mazatec a term is used that specifically includes women. (Source: Robert Bascom)
“In some instances these spiritual terms result from adaptations reflecting the native life and culture. Among the Northern Grebo people of Liberia, a missionary wanted some adequate term for ‘prophet,’ and she was fully aware that the native word for ‘soothsayer’ or ‘diviner’ was no equivalent for the Biblical prophet who spoke forth for God. Of course, much of what the prophets said referred to the future, and though this was an essential part of much of their ministry, it was by no means all. The right word for the Gbeapo people would have to include something which would not only mean the foretelling of important events but the proclamation of truth as God’s representative among the people. At last the right word came; it was ‘God’s town-crier.’ Every morning and evening the official representative of the chief goes through the village crying out the news, delivering the orders of the chief, and announcing important coming events. ‘God’s town-crier’ would be the official representative of God, announcing to the people God’s doings, His commands, and His pronouncements for their salvation and well-being. For the Northern Grebo people the prophet is no weird person from forgotten times; he is as real as the human, moving message of the plowman Amos, who became God’s town-crier to a calloused people.” (source: Nida 1952, p. 20)
In British Sign Language it is is translated with a sign that depicts a message coming from God to a person (the upright finger) and then being passed on to others. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Prophet” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
We had been there for several days is a transition from the preceding statements concerning Philip to the introduction of the prophet Agabus.
For Agabus see 11.28. Nothing more is known about him other than what is mentioned there and in this verse. Although, in reference to Agabus, the term “prophet” certainly would seem to imply foretelling the future, it is important to avoid a term which simply would suggest “diviner” or “fortuneteller.” One can probably most legitimately employ for “prophet” in this context the same type of expression as is used in many other places in the New Testament, namely, “one who spoke on behalf of God.” (See 15.15.)
As far as the Roman administration was concerned, Caesarea was the capital of the province of Judea; however, since Caesarea was a Gentile city, it was not considered by the Jews as a part of their country in the popular sense of the word. It is quite likely, as some commentators point out, that Luke at this point equates Judea with the city of Jerusalem.
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 .
After we had been there several days: The Greek words are literally “And staying many days.” It probably indicates they stayed more days than they at first thought they would stay. It would probably refer to five days or more. For example:
While we were staying for many days (English Standard Version)
21:10b
a prophet: A prophet was a person to whom God tells messages to tell people. These messages are called “prophecies”; see note at 21:9. The person speaks the prophecy to the people or writes it for them. Some ways to translate prophet are:
a spokesman for God -or-
a man who speaks God’s words -or-
God’s message-speaker
It is good to use a general term that does not focus only on foretelling the future.
When choosing a term for prophet, consider how you will distinguish prophet from other words such as “angel,” “apostle,” “evangelist,” and “preacher.”
See how you translated this word in 2:16 or 15:32.
came down from Judea: This phrase indicates that the word Judea refers to the hilly region of Judea. Jerusalem is in the middle of this region. It is 760 meters (2,490 ft) above the sea. Caesarea is on the sea coast. It is at least a one day journey from the hilly region of Judea to Caesarea. Indicate that kind of journey in your translation.
In some languages it is not important to indicate going uphill or downhill. If that is true in your language, you may not need to translate the idea of down here. For example:
arrived from Judea (Good News Translation)
Judea: This word usually refers to the province called Judea. The Romans had conquered Judea and ruled it at this time. But the Roman capitol of Judea was Caesarea. So here it probably refers to the hilly region of Judea. For example:
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