complete verse (Acts 28:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:9:

  • Uma: “After that, all of the sick of the island came asking-help of Paulus and he healed them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because of that, all people who had sickness on that island went also to Paul and they were healed also.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when this was known by the people, all the people who were sick there on the island went there, and they were healed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When what had happened to him became-known, all the other sick-people in that town went to Pablo, and he healed them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When everyone heard about that which Pablo had done, all who were ill on that island were then taken to Pablo. Each one he prayed for, the illness stopped.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:9

The word used for healed in this verse and in the preceding verse are different words. Some have suggested, though without wide acceptance, that whereas the former refers to miraculous healing, the latter indicates healing that Luke did as a physician. It is much more natural to assume that these were both acts of miraculous healing and that the verbs are not to be differentiated in meaning. The tenses of the verbs rendered came and were healed are such as to suggest that this is something that took place over a period of time rather than at one time only. Were healed may be recast as an active expression, “and Paul healed them.”

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 28:9

28:9a

After this had happened: It is implied here that many people throughout the island heard the news that Paul healed the father of Publius. In some languages it is more natural to include the implied information. For example:

When ⌊many people heard⌋ of this
-or-

⌊News⌋ of this healing ⌊spread quickly⌋ and

the rest of the sick on the island came: The Greek tense on the verb probably indicates that the sick people came to Paul over the next days and weeks. For example:

the other sick people on the island began to come
-or-
the other sick islanders came during the next few days and weeks

Your translation should not imply that the same sick people came to Paul more than once.

28:9b

were cured: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. Paul placed his hands on people but it was God who healed the people. For example:

⌊God⌋ healed them
-or-

⌊God enabled Paul⌋ to heal them

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