Timothy

The term that is transliterated as “Timothy” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that combines the signs for the letter T and “young,” referring to 1 Timothy 4:12 et al. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Timothy” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “sent,” referring to the many times Timothy was sent to different places (Acts 19:22, 1 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 3:2). Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Timothy” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

complete verse (Acts 19:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:22:

  • Uma: “From there, he ordered two of his workers to go ahead [of him] to Makedonia. Their names were Timotius and Erastus. Yet Paulus himself, he was still [emphatic] in the province of Asia.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore he told two of his helpers, Timoteo and Erastus, to go on ahead to Makedoniya while he was yet there in Asiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then he caused to go ahead of him to Macedonia his two helpers, Timothy and Erastus. But he stayed behind for a while in the province of Asia.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He-sent-ahead (lit. caused-to-precede) therefore to Macedonia Timoteo and Erastus who were two of his helpers, and he was left in the province Asia which was where-Efeso -was-located.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When he had decided that, he caused his two helpers, Timoteo and Erasto, to go ahead to Macedonia. He himself stayed behind still in the province of Asia.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 19:22

The name Erastus occurs in Romans 16.23 (there called the city treasurer of Corinth) and in 2 Timothy 4.20. It is not certain whether or not these three passages refer to the same person. The phrase two of his helpers may be rendered as “two of the men who worked together with Paul.”

In the province of Asia is literally “in Asia,” a phrase which many commentators understand in the sense of Ephesus.

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 .