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 25:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:21:

  • Uma: “But he requested that his case be taken-up to Kaisar. And he also requested to be guarded until his case was taken-up to Kaisar. That is why I left him jailed until I have opportunity to send him to Kaisar.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But he wanted to be judged by the Leader King in Roma. He asked to be detained yet and it must be the Leader King ko’ who will cut-off/bring-to-its-conclusion the judgment on his case. So I commanded him to be guarded as long as he is not yet brought to the Leader King.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However he said that he appealed for investigation to our king in Rome so that the king might be the one to settle this. Therefore I commanded that he not be taken out of the prison until I could send him to the king.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But he refused. He said that instead (lit. even-if) he would wait for the appeal of his case to the Emperor to that he would be the one to render-a-verdict. Therefore I have had-him -guarded until I have-opportunity to have-him -escorted to the Emperor.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But he replied that he wanted to appeal to the Impiradur, that he be the one to judge this. Therefore I ordered him to be imprisoned again until I can have him delivered to the Impiradur in Roma.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 25:21

The clause but Paul appealed must be amplified in some languages to read “but Paul appealed to the Emperor” or “but Paul insisted that he be tried by the Emperor.”

In reality, of course, Paul did not directly ask to be kept under guard. However, by appealing to the Emperor, he indirectly placed himself under guard until his case could be tried in Rome.

The clause I gave orders for him to be kept under guard may be rendered as direct discourse: “I ordered the soldiers, Guard him.”

The Good News Translation has transformed the noun phrase “for the decision of the Emperor” into a verbal expression: let the Emperor decide his 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 .