Paul

The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Paul (and Saul)” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Paul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Following is a Georgian Orthodox icon of Paul the Apostle from the 14th century (located in the Art Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi).

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

The following is a contemporary stained glass window from the Messiah Episcopal Church in St. Paul, Minnesota by Peter Dohmen. Individual glass pieces were made in Germany in accordance with Dohmen’s design, using a technique first developed by Irish monks in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Source for the image and description below: The Stained Glass Windows of Messiah Episcopal Church

“This window is dedicated to St. Paul, the great apostle and missionary, for whom our city is named. At the top of the window is a ship which symbolizes the many missionary journeys of Paul — the Church is our ship, which carries us over the way of life. In the lower section we see Paul on the road to Damascus when he saw a great light and heard our Lord’s voice, which called him to discipleship.”

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Paul .

complete verse (Acts 21:40)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 21:40:

  • Uma: “So, he indeed gave him opportunity. That is why Paulus stood on the stairs, and motioned to the people to be quiet. When they were quiet, he began speaking in the Ibrani language, the language of the Yahudi people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The colonel allowed Paul. So he stood on the stairs and he made a sign to the people with his hand so that they would listen. When they stopped making noise, Paul spoke to them in the Hibrani language.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he permitted Paul, and Paul, standing there on the steps, lifted up his hand as a sign that he had something to say to the people. And when their noisiness stopped, Paul spoke in the Hebrew language.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The commander gave-permission, so Pablo stood on the stairs/ladder, and gestured to quiet the people. When they became-quiet, he began-to-speak in Hebreo the language of the Jews, and he said,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, since he was permitted, he stood on the top stair of that stairway/ladder and raised his hand for there was something he wanted to say. And then when no-one was making a noise any more, he spoke in the Hebreo language.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 21:40

Although almost all translations say that Paul spoke to them in Hebrew, actually Paul would have been speaking in Aramaic, the language which the Jews of that day used (see New English Bible “in the Jewish language”). Spoke to them in Hebrew may be rendered as “spoke to them; the words he used were Hebrew words,” “spoke to them, using the Hebrew language,” “spoke to them in their own Jewish language,” or “… in the language used by the Jews.”

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 .