36For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him, but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 5:36:
Uma: “Because a few years ago, there was one man named Teudas. He said he was a person that had power. Many people followed him, there were about four hundred. But in the end he was killed, and his followers were scattered-scattered, with the result that their purpose no longer went forward.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Remember that not long ago, there was a man named Tudas who exalted himself. There were four hundred men who became his followers. But eventually this Tudas was killed and his followers were scattered. They did not accomplish anything.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because long ago there was a person named Theudas who wanted it believed that he was not just a common person. And there were about four hundred men who followed him. However, he was killed, and his followers were scattered, and what they were doing came to nothing.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because before, there was something like this that happened. There was Teudas who appeared (lit. came-out) who made-himself -important, and about four hundred people followed-him -as-disciples. But they killed him, and then his disciples scattered and it was ended.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For probably you haven’t forgotten Teudas who was praised as being, it was said, an important person. Without anything further, he was able to round-up four hundred poeple to join him. But, when he was killed, that crowd who followed/obeyed him were scattered. It turned out to amount to nothing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Angguruk Yali which uses a system that ends at the number 27. To circumvent this limitation, the Angguruk Yali translators adopted a strategy where a large number is first indicated with an approximation via the traditional system, followed by the exact number according to Arabic numerals. For example, where in 2 Samuel 6:1 it says “thirty thousand” in the English translation, the Angguruk Yali says teng-teng angge 30.000 or “so many rounds [following the body part tally system] 30,000,” likewise, in Acts 27:37 where the number “two hundred seventy-six” is used, the Angguruk Yali translation says teng-teng angge 276 or “so many rounds 276,” or in John 6:10 teng-teng angge 5.000 for “five thousand.”
This strategy is used in all the verses referenced here.
Theudas is mentioned only here in the New Testament. Although there are certain questions of chronology raised by the mention of Theudas in this verse and by the mention of Judas the Galilean in the following verse, the details of these questions are not important for the translator, and so they will not be dealt with here. The temporal expression some time ago is perhaps best translated as “a few years ago.” One should avoid giving the impression of a long period of time.
Claiming that he was somebody great may be of necessity shifted into direct discourse, for example, “said, I am a great leader.”
The expression joined him may be translated variously, for example, “became his helpers,” “followed him,” “became his henchmen.”
The passive construction was killed may be shifted into an active in two forms, either “died violently” or “died by violence” (implying some agent who killed him), or one may say “some people killed him” not specifying precisely the agent. The passive were scattered may simply be shifted to “went in all directions.”
In many languages movements cannot die out. They can, however, “stop,” “cease,” or “become nothing.”
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 .
This verse in Greek begins with the word that is usually translated as “for.” It introduces two examples of why the Jewish leaders should be careful about what they do to the apostles (5:35b). For example:
For (Revised Standard Version)
Some time ago: This phrase is more literally “before these days.” Here it refers to an event that probably occurred about thirty years prior to this time. Do not say how many years in your translation. For example:
Some years ago -or-
A number of years ago
Theudas: The Bible does not mention this man anywhere else.
rose up: The Greek is more literally “arose/stood.” It indicates that Theudas became a leader. Here are some other ways to translate this:
appeared (New International Version) -or-
came forward (Revised English Bible)
claiming to be somebody: These words indicate that Theudas was telling people that he was an important person. It is not known what he said, but probably it was political or religious or both. For example:
saying he was great/important -or-
and was telling people that he was an important man/person
5:36b
and about four hundred men joined him: The Greek is more literally “to whom a number of men, about four hundred, associated.” These men liked what Theudas said, so they stayed with him. Here are some other ways to translate this:
and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him (Revised Standard Version) -or-
and about four hundred men joined him (God’s Word) -or-
There were four hundred men who became his followers.
5:36c
He was killed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as killed is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “put…to death” in 5:33. Here it probably has the same meaning: “kill as a punishment for a crime.”
This clause is passive. Some languages must translate this as an active clause. For example:
⌊they/authorities/others⌋ executed/killed him
See how you translated the phrase “put…to death” in 5:33b.
all his followers were dispersed: The Berean Standard Bible does not start this clause with “and” because the next clause starts with “and,” following the English rule for the use of “and.” But it is more natural in many languages to begin this clause with “and.” For example:
and all his followers were dispersed
This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
⌊they⌋ dispersed all his followers
all his followers: The Greek is more literally “all, as many as obeyed him.” It indicates that these 400 men followed the rules that Theudas made for anyone who wanted to be a part of this group. Other ways to translate it are:
all those who obeyed him -or-
every man of his
dispersed: This word refers to causing a group to scatter. Whoever killed Theudas probably also scattered his followers. Here are some other ways to translate this word:
and it all came to nothing: The Greek is more literally “and they became nothing.” It indicates that all of Theudas’ followers stopped doing anything related to Theudas or the things he said. They became of no importance to the Romans or the Jews. Here are some other ways to translate this:
and came to nothing (English Standard Version) -or-
and they became of no consequence
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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