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 21:12:
Uma: “When we (excl.) heard this, we (excl.) and our (excl.) companions in Kaisarea really requested Paulus to not continue on to Yerusalem.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When we (excl.) heard this which Agabus said, we (excl.) and the disciples of Isa there, we (excl.) begged Paul telling him not to proceed to Awrusalam.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we heard this, we and the believers there, we begged Paul that he should not go to Jerusalem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Upon our (excl.) hearing that, we (excl.) and the others who were there pleaded that Pablo not go to Jerusalem.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When we (excl.) all had heard what Agabo said, we (excl.) and those from there kept on disuading Pablo, that he wouldn’t go to Jerusalem.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Begged translates a verb tense which places the emphasis upon the continuation of the action, that is, “they continued to beg Paul.” The tense of the verb translated to go probably means “to go on” (Jerusalem Bible) or “to continue on (to Jerusalem).” The term begged must, of course, be translated as “asked strongly” or “pled with him.” Such verbs may introduce direct discourse: “pled with Paul, Please do not go to 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 .
When we heard this: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this is literally “these (things).” It refers back to what Agabus said. In some languages it is more natural to use “that.” For example:
When we heard that -or-
When we heard those ⌊words⌋
21:12b
we and the people there: Here the phrase the people there refers to the believers from Caesarea who were present with Paul and the others at the time. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
we and the believers there -or-
we and the local believers (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
we and the believers/disciples who lived there
pleaded with: The word pleaded means “to urge.” The Greek verb indicates that the people were urging Paul for some time. For example:
began to urge
Paul: This verse in Greek implies that they urged Paul, so the Berean Standard Bible adds his name. Many translations use the pronoun “him.”
go up to Jerusalem: Caesarea is on the sea coast, and Jerusalem is up in the mountains at about 760 meters (2,500 feet) in elevation. It is a journey of about 120 kilometers (75 miles). So Luke used the Greek verb that refers to going up in elevation. In some languages it is more natural not to use the word up. For example:
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