inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 17:20)

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 17:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 17:20:

  • Uma: “We(excl.) have never heard a teaching that is so different like that, and we (excl.) want to know its meaning.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Those words of yours we (excl.) have never heard, that’s why we (excl.) want to know their meaning.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is that you are telling about which we have never heard before, therefore we want to listen to you so that you might explain it.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because some of what you (sing.) have been saying, we (excl.) have heard nothing like it, and we (excl.) would like to find-out what it means to say.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For this which you are coming out with sounds really amazing to our (excl.) ears. Therefore we (excl.) want to know its meaning.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 17:20

Sound strange to us may be rendered as “we have never heard this before,” “these are completely new to us,” or “these are very different from what we have heard before.”

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 .