Mourning Tabitha

The following is a contemporary stained glass window from the Southwark Cathedral in London of the story of Tabitha:

Source: Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt University Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Original source: Wikimedia

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

Simon (the tanner)

The name that is transliterated as “Simon (the tanner)” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines “listen” (the meaning of the name) and “leather” (in reference to “tanner”). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Simon” in Libras (source )

More information under Simon the Tanner (New Testament) .

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

complete verse (Acts 9:43)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 9:43:

  • Uma: “After that, Petrus stayed in Yope for several more nights, dwelling in the house of a worker of leather goods named Simon.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Petros stayed yet in Joppa for some time. He was there in the house of Simon, a man whose work was fixing animal skins.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Peter, he stayed on there in the house of a person named Simon who was a maker of useful things from skin which he dried.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for Pedro, he stayed a measurable-number of (i.e. quite a few) days in Joppa at the house of Simon who worked with leather.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Pedro stayed a long time there in Jope. Where he stayed was at the house of Simon who was a preparer of animal hides.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Joppa

The name that is transliterated as “Joppa” (or: “Jaffa”) in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with the sign for “whale,” referring to Joppa that is mentioned as the starting point of the sea voyage of Jonah that ends up in the belly of a large fish (see Jonah 1:3). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Joppa” in Libras (source )

More information on Jaffa

Translation commentary on Acts 9:43

Verse 43 serves as a transitional section. In the first place, it begins with a Greek verb often translated “it came pass” or “it happened that,” and this marks the beginning of another episode (Chapter 10.1-48). At the same time, this verse serves as a kind of conclusion to the preceding account of what happened to Dorcas in Joppa. The information, however, that Peter was staying with a leatherworker named Simon is important for understanding information given in 10.6.

The term leatherworker is essentially a “tanner,” in other words, one who tans the hides of animals. This does not imply that he is the one who makes articles out of leather, as a sandal maker or shoe cobbler would be. A tanner’s trade was considered unclean by the Jews, since it involved handling skins of animals they considered ceremonially unclean.

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 .