sell houses

In Fuyug society houses are not being sold (such as in Acts 4:34) so the Fuyug translation says that “riches” are being sold instead.

sell

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sell” in English is translated in Noongar as wort-bangal or “away-barter.” Note that “buy” is translated as bangal-barranga or “get-barter.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)

See also buy and buying / selling.

complete verse (Acts 4:34)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:34:

  • Uma: “There was not one follower of Yesus who was in need. Because every so often there were those who sold their land or houses,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Not even a single one of them was needy because from time to time those who had land or houses sold them and they brought the proceeds” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And none of them had difficulty in getting food or anything else because a companion of theirs, if he had land or a house, he sold it,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “None among them lacked, because those who had land or a house were-selling (it/them),” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Proof was, none of them was lacking anything, for each time it happened that any one of them was having hardship, what others would do was, they would sell land or house and what was paid for it,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 4:34 – 4:35

The verb tenses in these two verses are such as to suggest continued or repeated action on the part of the Christian community: whenever the believers would sell a field or house they would bring the money they received and “place it at the feet of the apostles,” that is, they turned the money over to (the authority of) the apostles (see 4.37 and 5.2). Then the money would be distributed by the apostles to each one according to his need.

It is generally impossible to employ the idiom “placed it at the feet of the apostles,” since it might not imply entrusting it to their care. It is also important to be careful in the choice of the word for “give,” since this might indicate that it was merely a gift to the apostles rather than something entrusted to them to be used for the believers. In some instances this must be made specific, for example, “gave it to the apostles for the believers.”

The agents of was distributed were the apostles. Therefore, in the active form one can have “the apostles distributed the money to each one as that person had need.”

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 4:34

4:34a

4:34a in Greek starts with the conjunction that is usually translated as “for.” It introduces an example of God’s grace (4:33) or possibly an example of sharing everything the believers had (4:32c). For example:

For (New American Standard Bible)

There were no needy ones among them: This clause in Greek is literally “not anyone was needy.” The words needy ones refer to people who are poor and lack things, such as food, clothing, or shelter. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

There was no one in the group who was in need (Good News Translation)
-or-
None among them lacked for anything

4:34b

because: This word introduces an explanation or example for why there were no needy persons.

those who owned lands or houses would sell their property: The Greek indicates that the selling of lands and houses happened more than once. Various people sold various houses or various pieces of land at various times. Here are some other ways to translate this:

those who were owners of land or houses were selling them (NET Bible)
-or-
various people sold their houses or pieces of land at various times

those who owned lands or houses: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as those who owned is literally “as many as were owners.” It implies “all.” But Luke does not mean that all the believers eventually became homeless. It probably means that believers who were wealthy sold their extra land or homes. But Luke probably used “as many as” to indicate unity of purpose.

lands: The Greek word here refers to places where there was not a city. town, or village.

4:34c

bring the proceeds from the sales: This clause indicates that the believers brought the full amount of the sale price to give to the apostles. For example:

brought the proceeds of what was sold (English Standard Version)
-or-
brought the whole amount of the sale price

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