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 25:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:3:

  • Uma: “They requested of Festus that from the goodness of his heart he order people to bring Paulus to Yerusalem. But-in-fact it was their plan to waylay Paulus and kill him on the way.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They requested Pestus that Paul be brought to Awrusalam. Because they had planned/agreed beforehand that they would ambush Paul and kill him on the way.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They begged Festus that if he had a good breath toward them, that he bring Paul to Jerusalem. The reason they begged him like this was so that they might ambush Paul on his way and kill him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They also repeatedly-begged that he have-Pablo -fetched to-be-taken to Jerusalem, because it was their thought to wait-in-ambush-for him on the road to kill him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And they were also asking the governor that, if possible/acceptable, he would have Pablo delivered to Jerusalem and finish the legal-hearing then. But their motive was to lie in wait for him on the trail and kill him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Japanese benefactives (yobiyosete)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, yobiyosete (呼び寄せて) or “summon” is used in combination with itadaku (いただく), a humble form of the benefactive morau (もらう). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 25:3

The word rendered plot is the same word that is used in 23.16.

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 25:3

25:3a

to grant them a concession against Paul: This phrase in Greek is literally “asking a favor against him.” This phrase indicates that the Jewish leaders wanted Festus to send for Paul as a concession or gift to them. This favor would be harmful to Paul (“against him”). It is not important here whether or not the Jewish leaders would be obligated to grant a concession in return. See how you translated the word concession in 24:27, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “favor.”

25:3b

by summoning him to Jerusalem: They wanted Festus to send for Paul while Festus was still in Jerusalem. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

to have the man sent to Jerusalem (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
that he might have him brought to Jerusalem
-or-
to order someone to bring Paul to Jerusalem

The reason that they probably gave to Festus when they asked this was so that they could more easily bring witnesses or a similar reason that would sound good to Festus. 25:3c was their secret plan. Festus did not know of it. In some languages, a literal translation would wrongly imply that Festus knew their secret plan. If so, indicate a general reason for bringing Paul that would sound good to a good governor. For example:

to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem ⌊for trial there⌋

25:3c

because: Here the word because introduces the reason for the Jewish leaders asking for a favor from Festus. 25:3c in Greek has no conjunction but implies this connection. For example:

for (New International Version)

25:3c in Greek could also imply simultaneous action. For example:

at the same time, setting an ambush (New American Standard Bible)

They planned the ambush secretly. They did not plan the ambush in front of Festus.

they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way: The pronoun they refers only to the Jewish leaders. This was the secret plan of the Jewish leaders. They did not tell Festus this plan. In some languages it may be necessary to clearly indicate it was a secret plan of the Jewish leaders. For example:

for the chief priests and Jewish leaders were ⌊secretly⌋ preparing an ambush to kill him along the way

were preparing an ambush: This phrase refers to planning to hide somewhere along the road and then suddenly attack Paul and the soldiers guarding him. For example:

had a plan to ambush (God’s Word)

along the way: This phrase refers to somewhere between Caesarea and Jerusalem.

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