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 22:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 22:29:

  • Uma: “From there, the soldiers who wanted to inspect Paulus backed off, and the head of the soldiers was also afraid. Because he had ordered Paulus to be tied, when he was actually a Roma citizen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When they heard this immediately the men who were about to beat Paul left him. Even the colonel was afraid when he knew that Paul was a man of Roma, because he was the one who commanded that Paul be chained.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And immediately the people who wanted to beat him drew back. And the captain also was afraid because Paul was a subject of Rome and why had he put chains on him?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That being so, the one who had almost whipped him hastened to leave, and even the commander, he-became-afraid upon coming-to-know that he had caused-to-be-bound with chains a person who was a Romano.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When they heard that which Pablo said, those who would interrogate him at once moved away from him. The highest-ranking-officer also became afraid on learning that Pablo was evidently Romano. What made him afraid was that he had caused him to be secured intending him to be whipped.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 22:29

It was legal to arrest a Roman citizen but illegal to have him put in chains, and this explains the reason for the commander’s fear. Had put him in chains may be translated in some languages as “had put chains on him” or “had bound him by means of chains.”

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 22:29

Paragraph 22:29

22:29a

The Greek conjunction often translated as “therefore” introduces this verse. Paul had confirmed his citizenship before the commander, also a Roman. So the soldiers back away from flogging a Roman citizen. For example:

So… (Revised Standard Version)

those who were about to interrogate Paul: This phrase refers to the soldiers who were ready to flog Paul (22:24a–25a).

to interrogate Paul: Here this phrase implies that the soldiers would ask Paul why the Jewish crowd was so upset with him (22:24b–c). In some languages a literal translation would not imply that here. If that is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information here. For example:

to interrogate Paul ⌊to find out why the people were shouting at him⌋

22:24b also indicates that the soldiers would flog him as well. In some languages it is more natural or more clear to indicate again that information. For example:

to ⌊flog and⌋ question him

stepped back: This phrase indicates that they stepped further away from Paul. They were no longer ready to flog him. Other ways to translate this word are:

moved away (New Century Version)
-or-
stepped away (God’s Word)
-or-
backed off (Contemporary English Version)

22:29b

and the commander himself was alarmed: This clause in Greek is literally “and the commander also was afraid.” It connects the reaction of the soldiers to the reaction of the commander. Both the soldiers and the commander were afraid. For example:

and the tribune also was afraid (Revised Standard Version)

22:29c

when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains: People were not allowed to put chains on Roman citizens when they arrested them. But the commander had put chains on Paul (21:33b). So he was afraid of being punished. Other ways to translate this clause are:

for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains (Good News Translation)
-or-
when he realised that he had put a Roman citizen in chains (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
when he realized that Paul was Roman and that he had put chains on him, ⌊which broke/violated Roman law⌋

had put…in chains: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as put…in chains is means “to tie/bind.” For example:

had bound (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
he had already tied (New Century Version)

21:33b indicates that Paul was bound with chains. So the Berean Standard Bible and some English versions refer clearly to that event. For example:

had chained him
-or-
had bound him with/by chains
-or-
had tied/fastened chains ⌊to his wrists⌋
-or-
had put him in irons (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 22:29c

At the time of 22:29c, the commander knew that Paul was a Roman citizen. So it is most likely that he immediately removed the chains. In many languages a literal translation would not clearly indicate or imply that. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain it in your translation. For example:

when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. ⌊So he removed them.⌋

• Translate literally and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The commander now knew that Paul was a Roman citizen, so he probably removed the chains immediately.

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