shadow (vs. spirit)

The Greek Acts 5:15 that is translated in English as “shadow” had to be translated in Dusun Witu as “sun shadow” because there is only one word for both “shadow” and “spirit.” (Source: Deibler / Taylor 1977, p. 1073.)

See also shadow and the Cheyenne translation in Holy Spirit.

Peter

Following is a Armenian Orthodox icon of Peter (found in the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shusha, Azerbaijan).

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Following is a hand colored stencil print on momigami of Peter by Sadao Watanabe (1970):

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “key” (referring to Matthew 16:19). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Peter” or “Cephas” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “rock,” referring to the meaning of the Greek word for “Peter.”


“Peter” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Peter – rock.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Peter .

complete verse (Acts 5:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 5:15:

  • Uma: “Many amazing signs were done by the apostles of the Lord Yesus, with the result that many sick people were carried with their mats, they were laid on the edge of the road. Because they hoped if Petrus passed there later, if only his shadow hit their bodies, they would become well.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because of the works of the power which the commissioned ones did, the sick were brought by the people to the streets laid on stretchers and on mats so that if Petros passed by there, perhaps some of them might be overshadowed (lit. hit by his shadow).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because of the miracles which the apostles did, people carried the sick and placed them at the side of the road on their mats and beds so that they might be shadowed by the shadow of Peter as he passed by.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore, they took the sick-ones to the street and then they laid-them on their beds and mats, because they thought that if Pedro were to pass-by, even if they were only shaded by his shadow, their sickness would be removed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well because many now had been made well by the apostles, what people there were doing was, they would take the sick ones on the mats they were lying on and put them at the sides of the streets of that city. They were hoping that if/when Pedro would walk there, if those sick ones were even just overshadowed by his shadow, they would get well.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 5:15

As a result of what the apostles were doing translates one Greek word meaning “so that.” However, it is most likely that verses 12b-14 are to be understood as a parenthetical statement, and that “so that” in this verse refers back to the first part of verse 12. A number of commentators understand the connection in this fashion and some translators have made this relationship explicit (see Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation*, Moffatt). On the other hand, there are some who think that the result clause should be connected with the description of the high regard in which the Christians were held (as mentioned in v. 13).

In some languages the transitional clause (the first clause in the Good News Translation rendering) can be rendered as “because of all that was happening” or “because of the miracles which the apostles were doing” (making the reference specifically to v. 12a).

If there is any distinction made between the words beds and mats, it is that the second of these terms refers to a poor man’s bed or mattress. Luke does not state explicitly that the people over whom Peter’s shadow passed were healed, but he writes in such a fashion as to make this clearly implicit in the text. Nor does he make clear who carried out the sick persons, though it is thought by a number of commentators that the non-Christian community is intended.

If the agent of carried out must be specified, then one can employ a phrase such as “the people there” or even “many people,” with the resulting active rendering “the people there carried members of their family who were sick out in the streets….” It is to be assumed that those who carried people out in the streets would be at least members of the same household.

The expression his shadow might fall on some of them can be rendered in some languages as “his shadow might touch some of them” or “his shadow might pass over 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 5:15

5:15a

As a result: This phrase introduces the result of the apostles doing signs and wonders (5:12), the people of Jerusalem speaking highly of believers (5:13), and probably also a result of more and more people becoming believers (5:14). Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Therefore
-or-
And so

the sick: This refers to people who very sick and so probably could not work or do much at all. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

sick people (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the people with sickness/illnesses

into the streets: These sick people were probably placed at the sides of the road rather than in the middle. For example:

to the streets
-or-
to the edges of the streets

streets: The Greek word refers to the major roads in the city rather than the narrow lanes. For example:

major/big streets

5:15b

laid them: The Greek is more literally “put.” It does not describe whether the sick people were then sitting or lying down. For example:

placed (Good News Translation)
-or-
put them (NET Bible)

cots: The Greek has the meaning of “little/minimum bed.” Here it refers to the fewest things required to still be called a bed. It would not have all the things usually used to make a bed. In English this might be just the mattress. For example:

mattresses

mats: This word refers to the kind of mat used for sleeping on.

General Comment on 5:15b

In some language groups people sleep on mats, not on full beds. If that is true in your language group, you may want to just use one word or phrase for the words “beds and mats.” For example:

⌊sleeping⌋ mats

But if people in your language group are familiar with beds, you may still want to include both words.

5:15c

so that: This phrase introduces the purpose for people bringing those who were sick into the streets.

at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at least is a combination of two words that can be translated “even if” or “if only.” It implies that even if only Peter’s shadow crossed over a sick person as he walked by, God would heal that person. For example:

so that even if only Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by, ⌊they would be healed⌋
-or-
so that even if only Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by, ⌊God would heal them⌋

Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fall refers to Peter’s shadow appearing on the person as Peter walked by. Many languages will use a different word than fall. For example:

when Pita was going around and his shadow went on top of them
-or-
when Peter will/would walk past, his shade would cover them
-or-
Petero’s shadow, when he went past them, would heal some people from them
-or-
if Pedro were to pass by, even if they were only shaded by his shadow

might fall: Here the word might refers to the possibility of Peter’s shadow falling on them. Consider how to translate that meaning.

as he passed by: This refers to times when Peter was walking along. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

as he came by (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
as he went by (New Living Translation (2004))

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