The Greek in Acts 22:1 that is translated as “brothers and fathers” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Glaubensschwestern und -brüder or “sisters and brother in the faith.”
my Father / our Father
The Greek that is translated as “my Father” in English is translated in Matumbi as Tati’ bangu’ or “my fathers.” “Our Father” is translated as “our Fathers” (and likewise “our ancestor” as “our ancestors”). Matumbi uses a majestic plural as an honorific when addressing parents. (Source: Tim Macsaveny)
See also addressing one’s or someone else’s father humbly / respectfully in Japanese (父) and Father (address for God).
complete verse (Acts 22:1)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 22:1:
- Uma: “He said: ‘Fathers and all relatives! Please listen to me, I will say my defense to you.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “‘Brothers and parents,’ Paul said, ‘listen to these words of mine to defend myself.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He said, ‘Brethren, my brothers and my uncles, please listen to what I have to say to you in the way of explanation.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘My companions and my fathers, kindly listen to what I will answer you.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Pablo said to that crowd, ‘You elders here and my brethren, if it’s okay with you, please listen to this defence of mine.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
everyone (Japanese honorifics)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title.
In these verses, the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “everyone” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as mina-san (皆さん), combining the word for “everyone” (nī) and the suffix title –san. This creates a higher sense of familiarity and equality than for instance the same term with the more respectful title –sama at young people (Japanese honorifics). (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
respectful form of "say/speak" (mōshiageru)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, mōshiageru (申し上げる), the respectful form of iu (言う) or “say / speak” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Translation commentary on Acts 22:1
In a very formal fashion Paul addressed himself both to the men of his own age, brothers, and to his elders, fathers. In a number of languages the equivalent of men, brothers and fathers is simply “men of my own age and men who are older than I am” or “my elders and my companions.” In many societies there is a technical term for “age-mates” and this would be an appropriate equivalent at this point.
Listen to me as I make my defense before you is a somewhat ambiguous construction in Greek, though the ambiguity is not too important as far as translation is concerned, since most translations come out with essentially the same meaning. The problem is that the verb listen may have either a single object, my defense, or a dual object, me … my defense. However, the meaning is clear (see Jerusalem Bible “listen to what I have to say to you in my defense”). It is interesting, as well as valuable, to note that both me and defense are in the genitive case and are the objects of the verb listen (the same verb that is translated heard in 9.7). This is further evidence that Luke made no distinction between the use of this verb with the accusative or the genitive; in either case it means that people hear something clearly and distinctly. See the discussion at 9.7.
As I make my defense before you may be rendered as “as I explain to you that I am not guilty” or “as I point out to you that I should not be condemned.”
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 22:1
22:1
Brothers and fathers: This phrase in Greek is literally “Men, brothers and fathers.” The phrase Brothers and fathers describes the word “men.” The word Brothers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are his age or younger. The word fathers is Paul’s polite address to fellow Jews that are older than him. It includes any Jewish leaders in the crowd.
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to Paul’s actual brothers and father. If that is true in your language, use whatever terms are natural for addressing people from the same ethnic group, including leaders. For example:
My companions and my fathers
-or-
my brothers and my uncles
-or-
You men and elders who are Israelites as I am
-or-
My fellow Jews (Good News Translation)
See how you translated this phrase in 7:2.
my defense before you: The word defense indicates that Paul would explain who he was and why he had been in the temple area. It was similar to defending himself in court, because the Jews from Asia accused him of wrongdoing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
what I have to say to you in my defence (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
my words to reply/answer to your accusations
-or-
the words I have to say to explain
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