Paul

The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English means “little.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In American Sign Language it is translated 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

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that is based on contemporary depictions and refers to the presumed baldness of the top of his head. The description originates from the 2nd-century apocryphal text titled Acts of Paul and Thecla , which represents the earliest and most detailed physical characterization of the apostle in Christian tradition (see also the icon below). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Paul” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Paul,” the second part refers to “apostle” (source )

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 )

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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Paul .

complete verse (Acts 23:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 23:18:

  • Uma: “He indeed took him to the head and said: ‘That Paulus who is jailed over there [out of sight], asked me to bring this child to Head. He has something to tell you (sing.).'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The lieutenant then took the man to the colonel and he said, ‘I was called by Paul, the prisoner, and he told me to bring this young man to you because he wants ko’ to tell you something.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the soldier, he took the young man to the captain and he said, ‘The prisoner Paul called me and he said to me that I should bring this young man here to you because he has something to say to you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So he took him there and said, ‘The prisoner Pablo, he called me, and he told me to lead this young-man to you (sing.), because there is reportedly something he will tell.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That captain took the nephew of Pablo to their highest-ranking-officer. When he arrived, he said, ‘I was called by that prisoner Pablo and he said to me that if possible/acceptable I would bring here to you this child for there is something he said, that he wants to tell you.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

formal 2nd person pronoun (Spanish)

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Spanish uses a formal vs. informal second-person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Spanish Bibles all use only the informal second-person pronoun (tú), with the exception of Dios Habla Hoy (third edition: 1996) which also uses the formal pronoun (usted). In the referenced verses, the formal form is used.

Sources and for more information: P. Ellingworth in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 143ff. and R. Ross in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 217ff. .

See also the use of the formal vs. the informal pronoun in the Gospels in Tuvan and 2nd person pronoun with high register.

Translation commentary on Acts 23:18

The prisoner Paul is not contradictory to what was said in 22.30. Whatever was indicated there, whether Paul was released from his chains or released from prison, he was not given absolute freedom in any case.

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 23:18

23:18a

So: The Greek phrase is literally “So then.” It indicates following action and introduces the result of Paul’s request.

the centurion took him to the commander: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the centurion took him are literally “taking him, he brought/led (him).” The first clause indicates that the centurion left Paul, taking his nephew with him. The second clause indicates that the centurion arrived with the nephew before the commander. For example:

he took him, ⌊leaving Paul,⌋ and brought him to the commander

But in English it is more natural to only use one verb here. For example:

the man took him to the tribune (New Jerusalem Bible)

him: Here the pronoun him refers to Paul’s nephew.

23:18b–c

asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you: Some languages need to express to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you as direct speech.

The centurion used the word asked because he knew that Paul’s command of 23:17b was really a request. If you translated 23:17b as a request, do so here as well. For example:

asked me, ‘Could you take this young man to the commander? He has something to tell him.’

But if you translated 23:17b as a command, do so here as well. For example:

said to me, ‘Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to tell him.’

© 2001, 2021 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.