complete verse (Acts 26:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 26:3:

  • Uma: “Especially since the King knows well the customs and teachings that the Yahudi people argue about. That is why I please ask that you (sing.) patiently listen to my defense.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am the more glad because you do know the customs of the Yahudi and (the things) they always quarrel-about. Therefore I beg your forgiveness, listen to me. Just/simply do not become tired-of-it/fed-up.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason it gives me great joy is because you thoroughly understand the disputes and the customs of us Jews (incl.). Therefore I beg you to listen to what I have to say.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because as for you (sing.), you (sing.) admittedly thoroughly know the customs of us (incl.) Jews and what-we -argue-about. I request therefore that you (sing.) be-patient to listen to this that I will say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Especially so since, as for you, you keep aware of all of these happenings and things argued about by us Jews. Now respects to you, hopefully you won’t become-fed-up with listening to these things I will explain in detail.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Japanese honorifics (Acts 26:3)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, seitsūshiteo-rare-ru (精通しておられる) or “be conversant/acquainted” is used.

Other uses of honorifics in this verse include:

  • The usage of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) by using –sama with the latter being the more formal title. These titles are distinct from nominal titles such as “teacher” or “king.” This is evident in the Shinkaiyaku Bible from forms such as ō-sama (王様) “king” which is a combination of the nominal title ō “king” and the suffix title –sama.
  • The choice of an honorific prefix. The concept of “requesting” is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-negai (お願い), combining “request” (negai) with the respectful prefix o (お).
  • The choice of a benefactive construction. Here, okiki (お聞き) or “listen” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). 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).”
  • The usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words. In these verses, mōshiageru (申し上げる), the respectful form of iu (言う) or “say / speak” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 26:3

Especially may be taken either as a modifier of true or as a modifier of the verb know (see Revised Standard Version “because you are especially familiar”; Lake “especially since you are expert”). Know so well translates a noun meaning “expert.”

Questions (Jerusalem Bible “[matters of] … controversy”; New English Bible “disputes”) is the same word translated arguments in 25.19; here it refers to the questions regarding theological issues that were often discussed within Judaism. Jewish customs and questions may be translated as “the way the Jews live and their differences” or “the ways in which they differ from one another.”

I ask you, then, to listen to me with patience serves the same purpose in this present address as I beg you to be kind and listen to our brief account did in the speech of Tertullus (24.4). Patience may be rendered as “with your heart open” or, in some languages, with an expression which is more or less equivalent to “sympathetically.” The focus here is upon the patience which is required because of the presumed length of the account which is to follow.

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 .