complete verse (Acts 23:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 23:32:

  • Uma: “The next morning the foot soldiers returned to the house of the soldiers, and it was just the horse-riding soldiers who took Paulus on to Kaisarea.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The next day the soldiers on-foot returned to the fort and they left those riding on horses to go on to bring Paul.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And on the next day the soldiers who were walking returned, and the only ones with Paul were the soldiers who were riding on horses.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The next-day then, the soldiers who walked returned to their barracks in Jerusalem while the horse-riders continued to accompany Pablo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There was the limit for some of the soldiers. They then returned to Jerusalem. The only ones who took Pablo to Cesarea were the horsemen.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 23:32

The next day the foot soldiers returned, since the road from Antipatris to Caesarea was in predominantly Gentile territory, and Paul would no longer have needed such a large guard to protect him.

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 23:32

23:32

they returned: This refers to the two hundred soldiers, the two hundred spearmen and in particular the two centurions (23:23). 23:31 refers to them generally as soldiers. The centurions would have been in charge of all the soldiers, including the horse soldiers.

The verb translated as returned can mean “to turn back.” The word indicates that they began traveling back to Jerusalem, and not that they arrived back at the barracks on the same day.

barracks: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as barracks means “a place where soldiers lived.” Here it refers to the stone fortress next to the temple. See how you translated this word in 23:16.

let the horsemen go on: There are two ways to interpret the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as let:

(1) It means leave here. The commander ordered only the horsemen to take Paul from Antipatris to Caesarea. So the soldiers and spearmen separated from the horse soldiers at Antipatris. For example:

left the horsemen to go on (Good News Translation)

(Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, Revised English Bible, King James Version)

(2) It means allow here. The centurions permitted the horse soldiers to continue. For example:

let the horsemen go on (New Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the commander probably told them what to do at Antipatris rather than allowing the centurions to decide. But interpretation (2) is also possible.

horsemen: The word horsemen refers to soldiers who ride on horses. See how you translated this word in 23:23.

go on: This phrase indicates that the cavalry and Paul would continue traveling to Caesarea.

The journey from Antipatris to Caesarea is about 52 kilometers (32 miles) in a generally northerly direction. The journey also was along the plains near sea level. It would take anywhere between four and twelve hours to travel that distance, depending on how fast they made the horses go.

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