22But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “who believed that message” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Elhomwe: “those who lived according to the Way of the Lord” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Christian(ity)”
In the Mandarin ChineseUnion Version, the most commonly used Protestant Chinese Bible, it is translated as zhèdào (这道) or “this way.” Note that dào (道) or “way” is the same word that is also used for Logos (usually “Word” in English) in John 1:1 and elsewhere (see Word / Logos).
The name that is transliterated as “Felix” in English means “delusive,” “happy,” “prosperous.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies the fact that he was a governor (of Judea) and corrupt (see Acts 24:26), and also to the clothes worn by politicians at the time. (Source: Missão Kophós )
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 24:22:
Uma: “Governor Feliks knew well what people who believe in Yesus believed. That’s why he said: ‘Our trial will end here for now. I will decide this case as soon as Lisias, the head of the soldiers, arrives.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Then Governor Pilik stopped the talking because he knew already beforehand about the teaching of Isa Almasi. Pilik said, ‘You will know my judgment when Colonel Lisiyas arrives here.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Felix temporarily closed the court because he already knew what the people who believe in Jesus believed. He said, ‘I will give my judgment when Captain Lysias comes.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Governor Felix, he knew much concerning the faith of the Cristiano, so he caused-Pablo’s case -to-be-stopped saying, ‘When the commander Lisias arrives, then I will reach-a-verdict on your (sing.) case.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Well, as for Felix that governor, he knew well the things believed by the people who followed/obeyed that way/trail of salvation. Therefore he said to that crowd there, ‘We will stop this legal-hearing for now. We’ll come back to it when Lysias arrives here, who is the highest-ranking-officer of soldiers in Jerusalem.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.
In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Well informed (so also New English Bible) should possibly be taken in the sense of “somewhat well informed” (An American Translation*), “had a rather accurate knowledge” (Moffatt), or “a rather accurate knowledge” (Revised Standard Version). Some translators render well informed as “knew a good deal about” or “had learned much about.” As in a number of other contexts, it may be necessary to translate the Way as “the Way of the Lord.”
Brought the hearing to a close translates a technical judicial term (An American Translation* “adjourned the trial,” Jerusalem Bible “adjourned the case”). Evidently the Revised Standard Version rendering, “put them off,” comes from an understanding of the word as meaning “to withhold judgment for the time being.”
I will decide your case is rendered as “I will make a judgment on these matters” or “I will say whether you are guilty or innocent.”
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 .
who was well informed about the Way: The Greek words are literally “more accurately knew things about the Way.” But the comparison is probably used as well here, as the Berean Standard Bible says. Other ways to translate these words are:
having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way (Revised Standard Version) -or-
who was well acquainted with the Way (New International Version) -or-
who was well informed about the Way of believing in Jesus
the Way: This phrase refers to believing in Jesus and living as Christians. See how you translated this phrase in 24:14.
24:22b
adjourned the hearing: This phrase in Greek is literally “postponed them.” This phrase indicates that Felix did not make any decision for the Jewish leaders at this time. He ended the court session for the trial but promised to open it again at a later date (24:22c). Other ways to translate this phrase are:
put them off (Revised Standard Version) -or-
postponed any decision ⌊and closed the court session⌋
24:22c
and said: The Berean Standard Bible placed the words and said before the spoken words for good English style. Put the words and said in a place that is natural in your language.
I will decide your case: The clause refers to deciding whether or not Felix would agree with the Jewish leaders about what they said about Paul. Other ways to translate this clause are:
I will give judgement about your case. (New Jerusalem Bible) -or-
I will make my decision (Contemporary English Version) -or-
I will judge these accusations against you
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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