The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”
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 exclusive form (excluding the priests that Peter addresses) or the dual (Peter and John).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 4:9:
Uma: “Right now you are examining us (excl.), because we (excl.) helped this lame person, you want to know how we (excl.) healed him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “if you investigate us (excl.) this day concerning the good deed that was done to this former cripple, and as to how he was healed,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “if what you are asking us is how we did this good thing here to this person who could not walk, and if what you are asking us also is what is this power that was used to cure him,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “your trying of us (excl.) today, if it is concerning (concession particle) the good that we (excl.) did to this lame-one and how he got-well,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “if what you are interrogating us (excl.) about is because of this good thing done by us (excl.) to this lame person, as to how he became well,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
In Greek the use of the conditional sentence introduced by if is very effective. However, in some languages this would be nonsense since there is absolutely no doubt as to the fact that Peter has just been asked how the lame man was made to walk. Therefore, this type of expression must be changed into a declarative, for example, “we are evidently being questioned today about….” Though in Greek the form is conditional, there is obviously no real condition implied—it is only a rhetorical device.
In the Greek text the use of the passive makes possible the elimination of a direct reference to the agent. In other languages, however, an active form may require the agent, for example, “you are evidently questioning us today about….”
Questioned translates a Greek word (see 12.19; 17.11; 24.8; 28.18) which suggests a judicial hearing.
In the phrase the good deed done to the lame man there is no reference to the agent. This may need to be supplied because of the passive form and the semantically redundant expression deed done. One may use “the good which we did for the lame man” or even “how we helped the lame man.”
The passive expression in how he was made well may be shifted to an expression indicating change of state, for example, “how he became well.”
Some type of transitional element at the beginning of verse 10 (see then in Good News Translation) is very important. In some languages one may employ an expression such as “evidently” at the beginning of verse 9 and a corresponding “therefore” at the beginning of verse 10.
It should be noted that no reference has been made in the introduction to this section (vv. 5-7) of the presence of the man who has been healed. However, his presence is indicated in verse 10 and he is further mentioned in verse 14.
The instrumental relationship expressed by the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth may need to be expressed as a causative subject in some languages, for example, “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has caused this man to stand here before you completely well.” In certain instances a distinction must be made between the healing and the standing such as “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has healed this man and therefore he stands before you.”
As has been noted in other contexts, the use of name as a substitute for the personality, or as a symbol of the personality, is not understood in some languages, and therefore the more satisfactory equivalent may be simply “the power of Jesus Christ.”
The last clause whom you crucified and God raised from death must in many languages be expressed as a separate sentence with an emphatic identification of the subject, for example, “This is the one you crucified but whom God raised from death.” In these two expressions the contrastive features may require some such conjunction as “but.”
When there is no specific term for crucify, it may be important to employ some type of descriptive equivalent which will indicate both the execution and the means by which it was done, for example, “killed him by nailing him to a cross” or “put him on a cross and in this way killed him.”
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 .
If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed: Here the word If introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, it supports the second part (“then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel” (4:10a)).
In some languages, using an If-clause would have a different meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:
consider this: we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed. 10Therefore -or-
we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed. 10Therefore -or-
Right now you are examining us(excl), because we helped this lame person, you want to know how we healed him -or-
Do you want to hear and judge the talk of the man with the bad legs that we sent heart [gave compassion] to and fixed/healed?
4:9a
we are being examined: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
you are questioning us (New Jerusalem Bible)
we: The pronoun we is emphatic here. If you have a way in your language to emphasize we, consider using it here. Here are some ways in English:
we ourselves -or-
it is we who
are being examined: This phrase indicates that the officials were questioning them, as a judge would in a court case. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
are being called to account (New International Version) -or-
are on trial (New American Standard Bible)
The tense of the Greek verb indicates that the Jewish leaders were questioning them at that time. They started questioning them in 4:7.
today: You should put the time word, today, where it will be most natural for your translation.
about: Here this word introduces the basis for the questions from the leaders. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
concerning (Revised Standard Version) -or-
because of (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
for (New International Version)
a kind service to a man who was lame: This phrase in Greek is more literally “a kindness of a handicapped man.” Notice that there is no verb in Greek.
This phrase refers to the time Peter and John healed the crippled beggar in 3:1–10. Here are some other ways to translate it:
• Add a passive verb. For example:
the good deed done to the lame man (Good News Translation)
• Add an active verb. For example:
the good we did for a crippled man (God’s Word) -or-
how we helped a crippled man
a kind service: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a kind service can also be translated as “good deed.” This good deed refers to the miraculous healing that Peter and John did. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
good thing (New Century Version) -or-
kind deed (Contemporary English Version)
a man who was lame: This phrase in Greek is more literally “a sick/feeble man.” The Greek refers to anything that causes someone to not be able to do normal things. It refers to the lame man (3:2) here. For example:
someone who is sick (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
a man with a health problem
But many English versions make it clear here that it refers to the lame man, like the Berean Standard Bible does, because it has been many verses since he was mentioned.
4:9b
to determine how he was healed: The Greek is literally “in which this-one has been healed.” It refers to how the lame man was healed. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
by what means this man has been healed (Revised Standard Version) -or-
as to how this man has been made well (New American Standard Bible)
to determine: This verb is not in Greek (see above). The Berean Standard Bible has added the words to determine to introduce “how he was healed” in a more understandable way in English. If you choose to add a verb, here are some ways to translate this clause:
• Add a passive verb as the Berean Standard Bible. For example:
and are asked how this man has been healed (New Revised Standard Version)
• Add an active verb. For example:
you…are asking us how he was healed (New Jerusalem Bible)
he was healed: This clause is passive. Peter was probably thinking that God did the healing. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
⌊God⌋ healed this man -or-
⌊God⌋ has made this man well
was healed: The Greek tense indicates that this man was healed before this time when Peter was speaking. For example:
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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