complete verse (Acts 28:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:19:

  • Uma: “Yet the Yahudi people in Yudea kept on opposing [me], they did not want to release me. So there was no other way, I requested my case be taken up to Kaisar. Even so, there is nothing that I accuse our (incl.) Yahudi relatives of.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the Yahudi were not willing that I be released. That’s why I could not think of anything other than/except to request to be judged by the Leader King even though I have nothing that I am accusing my fellow Yahudi of.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “but when our companion Jews did not like that I be set free, since I had no other means, I appealed for help to our king here in Rome even though I had nothing to accuse my companion Jews of.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But whereupon our fellow Jews refused/didn’t-like-it, so I was forced to appeal my case to the Emperor. I am not however charging them. I am the one (explanatory particle) being-charged.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But since it wasn’t acceptable to the Jews that I be released, therefore I felt forced to appeal to the Impiradur. This doesn’t mean that I have a case I want to bring against our (incl.) nation.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:19

What the Jews opposed was, of course, Paul’s release, and therefore this may be made specific in the first clause: “the Jews did not want me to be released” or “the Jews opposed the Romans releasing me.”

I was forced to appeal to the Emperor may be rendered as “it was necessary for me to appeal to the Emperor,” “it was necessary for me to say, I wish to go the Emperor,” or “… I wish the Emperor to try my case.”

Even though I had no accusation to make against my own people is stated in a very strong fashion in the Greek sentence (literally “not as against my own nation having anything to accuse”). From the point of view of the Roman readers, it would have been important for Luke to emphasize that Paul was in Rome to defend himself and not to bring an accusation against the Jews. The Romans had very strict laws regarding what should be done with persons who had accused others of being guilty and were unable to prove their charges.

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 28:19

28:19a

the Jews: Paul implied the Jewish leaders here. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate Jews in general. If so, include the implied information:

the Jewish ⌊leaders⌋

objected: The Greek word is literally “spoke against.” The Jewish leaders told the Roman authorities that Paul had committed crimes against the Jewish people and against God and did not want the Romans to set him free. For example:

opposed this (Good News Translation)

28:19b

I was compelled: The Jewish leaders did not want the Romans to release Paul. This caused Paul to have no other way to avoid being killed by the Jewish leaders than to appeal to Caesar. This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

I felt it necessary (New Living Translation (2004))

appeal to Caesar: Paul asked that Caesar decide whether the accusations against him were true or not. See how you translated a similar phrase in 25:11 (“I appeal to Caesar”) or 26:32 (“if he had not appealed to Caesar”).

28:19c

even though I have no charge to bring against my nation: This indicates that Paul would not accuse the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem of wrong doing when he went to the Roman court. That was not the reason he appealed to Caesar. Paul reassured the Jewish leaders in Rome of this. For example:

even though I had no accusation to make against my own people (Good News Translation)

my nation: This refers to the Jews. Other ways to translate this are:

my own people (New International Version)
-or-
my own people, ⌊the Jews⌋

Paul included the Jewish leaders in this phrase.

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Sung version of Acts 28

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