inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 17:19)

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 Paul).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Acts 17:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 17:19:

  • Uma: “That is why they took him to a big meeting-place called Areopagus Mountain, they said to him: ‘We(excl.) want to hear that new teaching of yours.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then they brought Paul to the council which gathered in a place called Areopagus. They said to Paul, ‘We (excl.) want to know about that new teaching which you were talking about.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they brought Paul in front of the judgment place which is called Areopagus, and they said to him, ‘We would like to know this new teaching that you are preaching.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, they took him to the gathering of the elders and leaders of the town that they called Areopagus, and they said to him, ‘If possible, would you (sing.) please make-known to us (excl.) the new-thing you (sing.) are teaching,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That’s why they caused him to accompany them to their meeting-place which was called Areopago, that being the meeting-place of the highest judges in Atenas. Those ones causing Pablo to accompany said, ‘Please, we (excl.) want you to explain this which you are teaching for it’s the first we (excl.) have heard of it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 17:19

The transitional particle so is important, since it marks the beginning of the next episode, resulting from what Paul had been saying to various persons.

In the choice of the words for took and brought, one should not suggest that Paul was under arrest. In some languages it is necessary to render this as “invited him to come to” or “asked him to come to.”

The Areopagus was “the hill of Ares.” Ares was the Greek god of war, equivalent to the Roman god Mars. It was on this hill that the Athenian Council met, and for this reason most commentators understand the reference to the Areopagus to be to the meeting of Council rather than to the hill itself. This is why the Good News Translation has expanded Areopagus to the meeting of the Areopagus. See also “the Council of the Areopagus” (Jerusalem Bible) and “the Court of Areopagus” (New English Bible), but in some languages the nearest equivalent may be “the council that met on the Areopagus.” In Athens there were several places where speakers might lecture to the public, and it was the responsibility of this council to hear and pass judgment on those lecturers.

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 .