complete verse (Acts 28:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:17:

  • Uma: “When we had been there three days, Paulus called the Yahudi elders to meet with him. At that meeting, Paulus spoke, saying to them: ‘Relatives, I have done no wrong to our (incl.) relatives the Yahudi people, and I have not transgressed the customs of our (incl.) elders. But even so, I was arrested in Yerusalem and turned-over to the government of Roma.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “After three days (and nights), Paul told the leaders of the Yahudi in that city to gather. When they were gathered there, Paul said to them, ‘My brothers, I here, I do not have any sin toward my fellow Yahudi and I have never transgressed the customs of our (incl.) ancestors. But even though I have no sin, the Yahudi in Awrusalam seized me and imprisoned me and they handed me over into the hands/hold of the Romans (tribe).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Three days after we arrived, Paul called the leaders of the Jews to gather. And when they were gathered, Paul said to them, ‘Brethren, even though I did nothing bad against our companion Jews in Jerusalem and I did not also disobey the customs which our ancestors left to us, they put me in prison and delivered me into the Roman officials.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When three days went-by, Pablo caused-to-be-called the leaders of the Jews who were in Roma. When they gathered, he said to them, ‘Brothers, I have no crime against our fellow Jews. Neither have I done anything against the customs of our ancestors. But they arrested-me nonetheless in Jerusalem, and they turned-me-over to the Romano.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When it was now the third day, Pablo called for the leaders of the Jews there in Roma to come. When they were now assembled, Pablo said to them, ‘As for me, brethren, even though I have done nothing against our (incl.) nation or against our (incl.) handed-down customs, they arrested me in Jerusalem and then handed me over to the Romano and I was imprisoned.” (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 .

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 28:17)

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 inclusive form (including the Jewish leaders and all Jews).

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

Translation commentary on Acts 28:17

Luke begins this verse with one of his favorite transitional formulas (literally “and it happened”), which may be indicated in translation merely by the introduction of a paragraph, and since a new paragraph is begun at this point, the Good News Translation has made the mention of the subject explicit: Paul.

After three days may be rendered in some languages as “three days later” or “after Paul had been in Rome for three days.”

The verb called must be translated in some languages as “invited to a meeting” or “asked them to come see him.”

In order to specify that the Jewish leaders in this instance were those in Rome and not the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem, the term local has been employed.

On my brothers see 2.29. It is obvious that in the present context reference is not made to fellow believers, but to fellow Jews.

In Greek, the first word in Paul’s address is I, placed in an emphatic position. It was important for Paul to point out several matters: (1) that the accusations made against him by the Jews were false; (2) that he was not found guilty by the Roman government and would have been released, had he not appealed to the Emperor; and (3) that he himself had no accusation to make against his own people.

I did nothing against our people may be translated as “I did not in any way harm our people.” In this quoted context the pronoun our is to be rendered as inclusive first person plural for those languages which make a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person. In speaking about doing nothing against … the customs, it may be necessary to say “I did not violate the customs” or “I did not speak against the customs,” with customs often being translated as “the way in which our people live.”

The customs that we received from our ancestors may be expressed more naturally in some languages as “the customs which our ancestors handed down to us.”

I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem may be translated in the active form as “the Jews caused me to be a prisoner in Jerusalem.”

The word rendered handed over always carries overtones of wrongdoing on the part of those who did the handing over; it is the same word used by Jesus in Luke 9.44 and 18.32.

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 28:17

Section 28:17–31

Paul arrived in Rome and preached the gospel

In this section, Paul met with the leading Jews living in Rome. He explained that he had not caused any trouble against the Jewish people or against Jewish customs, but the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had created trouble for him. He explained that the trouble was regarding the hope that all Jews had, that God would send the Messiah/Christ. Paul believed that Jesus was the Messiah/Christ.

The Jews living in Rome had not received any report or letter regarding him and wanted to hear what he had to say. Some days later Paul explained from Scripture (at that time, the Old Testament) why Jesus was the Messiah. Some Jews accepted his message and believed in Jesus. Paul warned the other Jews not to reject this good news about Jesus. He also said that God offers this salvation to the Gentiles also. Some of them would listen and believe in Jesus.

For two years Paul waited for his time to stand before Caesar. During that time, he boldly preached that people should believe in Jesus. The book of Acts ends with Paul preaching and teaching unhindered.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard (New International Version)
-or-
Paul in Rome (English Standard Version)

Paragraph 28:17–20

28:17a

he called together the leaders of the Jews: The Greek verb indicates that Paul asked the leaders to come to him. The Roman authority may have restricted Paul to staying near his house. For example:

Paul invited the most influential Jews in Rome to meet with him (God’s Word)

the leaders of the Jews: This phrase in Greek is literally “those being first of the Jews.” The word “first” refers to those who were most important among the Jews in Rome, namely the leaders and other men who had status and power in the Jewish community in Rome. Scholars believe that ten or eleven leaders were asked to come. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the local leaders of the Jews (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
the most prominent men of the Jews ⌊in Rome⌋
-or-
the most influential Jews in Rome (God’s Word)

The phrase should be similar to the phrase in 25:2 (“Jewish leaders”), except that here the phrase refers only to important Jews in Rome.

28:17b

When they had gathered: This refers to gathering at the place where Paul was staying. Other ways to translate this clause are:

when they had assembled (New International Version)
-or-
when they arrived (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

28:17c–e

although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans: The word although indicates that the clause I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers is true. It also indicates that despite that being true, Paul was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. Other ways to indicate this connection are:

even though I did nothing against our people or the customs that we received from our ancestors, I was made a prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans (Good News Translation)
-or-
I never did anything against our people or against the customs of our forefathers; yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans (Revised English Bible)

28:17c

Brothers: This phrase in Greek is literally “”Men, brothers.” The address “Men” is a polite way to begin speaking to the Jewish leaders. These Jewish leaders were probably all men. The address Brothers indicates that Paul was also a Jew. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

Men, my brothers/relatives
-or-
My fellow Israelites (Good News Translation)

The address Brothers refers to fellow Jews, and it does not indicate that these Jews were believers in Jesus. You should not translate this in a way that refers to fellow Christians. See how you translated this phrase in 1:16 or 15:7, but remember Paul is addressing fellow Jews here, not fellow Christians.

I have done nothing against our people: The phrase our people refers to the Jews. This clause indicates that after Paul became a Christian he did not oppose the Jewish people in any way. Other ways to translate this are:

I have never done anything to hurt our people (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I have committed no crime against our fellow ⌊Jews⌋
-or-
I have done no wrong to our people ⌊the Jews⌋

28:17d

the customs of our fathers: This refers to the rules that Jews made long ago for living properly as a Jew. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the customs of our forefathers (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the ways of life of our ancestors
-or-
the ways that our ancestors behaved/lived

28:17e

I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans: The Greek words here are literally “a prisoner from Jerusalem I was delivered into the hands of the Romans.” This is a brief summary of some Jews trying to kill Paul in Jerusalem but Lysias coming and taking him from them and then sending him down to the Roman governor in Caesarea (21:27–23:35).

Paul used a passive clause to avoid referring specifically to the people who did these things. He clearly implied here the Jewish leaders living in Jerusalem, but politely did not name them to the Jewish leaders living in Rome. Some languages must use an active clause. If possible refer only generally to those who arrested Paul. For example:

⌊They⌋ arrested me in Jerusalem and put me into the hands of the Romans.
-or-

⌊Some people⌋ grabbed me in Jerusalem and gave me to the Romans for them to imprison me.
-or-

⌊Some people⌋ grabbed me in Jerusalem and caused me to be imprisoned by the Romans.

But if a general reference would imply someone different than the Jewish leaders (28:19), you should indicate the Jewish leaders here. For example:

⌊The Jewish leaders⌋ arrested me in Jerusalem and put me into the hands of the Romans.
-or-

⌊The Jews⌋ grabbed me in Jerusalem and gave me to the Romans for them to imprison me.
-or-

⌊The Jews⌋ grabbed me in Jerusalem and caused me to be imprisoned by the Romans.

It is also possible to use an intransitive verb (or verbs). For example:

I became a prisoner and ⌊they⌋ gave me to the Roman authorities

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Sung version of Acts 28

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