complete verse (Acts 26:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 26:4:

  • Uma: “‘All the Yahudi people know the whole story of my life from the beginning. From my childhood I lived with my relatives in Yerusalem.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘All the Yahudi, they know my behavior since I was a child in my place and there also in Awrusalam.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for all the Jews, they know what my doings were from the time I was small, because I grew up among them in my village and also in Jerusalem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘All our (du) fellow Jews know my way-of-life starting-from my youth (lit. smallness), because I have continually stayed-with them in our (excl.) town/country and in Jerusalem.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, all the Jews are aware of how my lifestyle has been from my childhood, there in the land where I grew up and also in Jerusalem where I was educated.” (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 .

Translation commentary on Acts 26:4

As is indicated by the particle with which Luke introduces this section (see 1.6), he indicates that this is the real beginning of Paul’s defense. This paragraph points out that Paul is, in fact, on trial for what is one of the very basic beliefs in Judaism, that is, the belief in the resurrection from the dead.

Although the phrase rendered from the beginning in this verse and from the very first in the following verse are different, it is not likely that any difference in meaning is to be sought in them. The same two expressions appear in Luke 1.2, 3 and there have been rendered by the Good News Translation from the beginning and from their beginning. The use of different terms in the present context is merely for stylistic effect.

In my own country (that is, Cilicia) is the meaning that most see in this phrase, though some few understand it to mean “in my own province” (that is, in Judea).

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 .