3rd person pronoun with high register (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used. In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also third person pronoun with exalted register.

Translation commentary on Acts 5:28

A Semitic idiom (“with an order we ordered you”) lies behind the translation we gave you strict orders; and the verb “order” is used in a technical sense in the papyri of a summons to court or a court injunction.

The phrase teach in the name of this man is difficult to render in some languages. One equivalent is “teach the people on the authority of this man” or “teach the people on the authority of Jesus” (since “this man” may be misleading). In other languages the closest equivalent is “teach what this man taught,” since this may be the only way in which the authority of the original teacher can be indicated clearly. In still other instances one may use “teach what this man said should be taught.”

But see what you have done translates the same particle as used in verse 25 above.

In some languages spread your teaching is an impossible combination, therefore an equivalent such as “cause people all over Jerusalem to hear your teaching” may be employed.

You want to make us responsible for his death is literally “you want to bring on us the blood of this man,” which is simply a Semitic way of saying exactly what the Good News Translation has said in English. This clause may be expressed in other languages as “you want to blame us because he died” or “you want to say, You caused him to die.”

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 5:28

5:28a

“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said:
The Berean Standard Bible put the words he said in the middle of what the high priest said. In many languages, it is more natural to have it first. For example:

He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name.

We gave you strict orders: In 4:18, the Jewish leaders had told the apostles “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” The clause here in 5:28 refers to that command. Here are some other ways to translate this:

We strictly commanded you (LEB)
-or-
We commanded you strongly/completely

teach in this name: Here name represents the whole person. So the phrase in this name means “about him” or “by/using his authority.” The apostles taught about Jesus, they taught his teachings, and they taught by his authority.

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the meaning. For example:

teach about this man and by his authority
-or-
concerning him
-or-
teach by the authority of that man

this name: This refers to the name of Jesus. If people in your language area will not know who this refers to, you may want to explain in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This refers to Jesus.

5:28b

Yet: The Greek is literally “and look.” It commands the listener to pay attention to the words that follow. Here are some other ways to translate this Greek phrase:

And listen,
-or-
Hey/Indeed,

you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching: This clause is a figure of speech that indicates that many people in Jerusalem had heard the apostles teach about Jesus.

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

You have taught so much that everyone in Jerusalem has heard your teaching
-or-
You have taught and taught and so everyone in Jerusalem has heard it

5:28c

are determined: The Greek word here means “wish, want, intend, plan.” The high priest thought that the apostles were claiming that the leaders were guilty of murdering Jesus and were wanting the Jews in general to believe they were guilty in that way.

Here are some other ways to translate this Greek word:

intend (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
want (New Living Translation (2004))

to make us responsible for this man’s blood: This clause refers to the apostles accusing the leaders of murdering Jesus. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

accuse of being guilty of that person’s murder
-or-
to make us guilty saying we wrongfully killed him

this man’s blood: Here the word blood refers to a person’s life. In some languages a literal translation would refer only to blood. If that is true in your language, refer to a person’s life. See the examples above.

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