inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 27:16)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the addressee).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Acts 27:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 27:16:

  • Uma: “Not long from there, we were sheltered somewhat from the wind in our passing to the south side of a island called Kauda. At that time, we pulled up the little boat that is usually pulled behind the ship (that is called sekoci). That work was very hard.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Eventually we (excl.) were able-to-take-shelter on-the-other-side of Kauda island, a small island. And there, even though we (excl.) had difficulty, we (excl.) were able to fasten-tightly the lifeboat that had been towed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we came near to the island of Cauda, we were somewhat sheltered from the wind, and there, with much difficulty, we were able to get a hold of the boat which the ship was pulling.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When we (excl.) went-close-by the small town of (lit. at) Cauda, we (excl.) put-on-board the small-boat that the ship was-pulling, because we (excl.) were sheltered a little-bit, but we (excl.) had-a-hard-time anyway.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When we got to the other side of the little-island called Clauda, it was a little bit sheltered. Therefore we persevered at pulling up the tender which was being towed behind.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 27:16

We passed to the south of is a synonym of the verb sailed down the sheltered side of used in verse 7. Both words are technical nautical terms referring to sailing that is done on the side of the island that protects the ship from the winds. In this instance, it was the south side of the island that offered shelter, and so the Good News Translation has rendered we passed to the south. There is some difference of opinion as to whether this island should be called “Cauda” or “Clauda.” New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible, and An American Translation*, along with Good News Translation, accept Cauda.

The ship’s boat was a small boat sometimes towed and sometimes tied down on deck; it was used for a variety of purposes, especially for landing. We managed to make the ship’s boat secure refers primarily to what was done immediately following in verse 17, namely, pulling the boat aboard and tying it down with ropes. This entire clause may be translated in some languages as “then we were able to make safe the little boat that was towed behind the ship, but it was difficult to do this.” In some languages “to make safe” would be equivalent to “to keep from being broken.”

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 .