council

The Greek that is translated as “council” or “Council” in English is (back-) translated in a variety of ways:

complete verse (Acts 4:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:15:

  • Uma: “That is why they put those apostles of the Lord Yesus out of their meeting, and they made-plans,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore they sent them out of the judgment room and the councilors conferred among themselves.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore there in the room in which they were gathered, they told Peter and company that they should go outside for a while. And then they discussed it saying,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That being so, they had-plural Pedro -go-out so they the leaders would-be-alone to converse.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore they caused Pedro-and-companion to go out of their gathering-place, so that they could discuss what would be good to do.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “They sent the disciples outside because they wanted to talk among themselves about them.”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “They told Peter and John to go outside for a while. When Peter and John had gone outside they discussed by themselves, just the people who judged.”
  • Chuj: “But those rulers said that Peter and John must go out from their faces (presence). After they were taken out, those rulers talked together alone.”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “Then they commanded them to go outside from where the elders were assembled, and they alone went to talking together.” (Source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

Translation commentary on Acts 4:15

Since verse 15 introduces a result of the Council’s inability to make any formal accusations, some such transitional particle as so is helpful.

It may be necessary to identify them as referring directly to Peter and John and probably also to the man who had been healed.

Nothing is known regarding the location of the Council room where the Jewish Council met at that time.

A term for discussing must not suggest “arguing” but rather “conferring.” Evidently all the persons involved were joined in trying to find a practical solution to the problem.

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 .