teach

The Greek that is translated as a form of “teach” is translated with some figurative phrases such as “to engrave the mind” (Ngäbere) or “to cause others to imitate” (Huichol). (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Noongar it is translated as karni-waangki or “truth saying” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

complete verse (Acts 20:20)

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

  • Uma: “You know relatives, that I was not afraid/uneasy to say to you whatever was beneficial. I taught you relatives, both while you met/gathered and also in your own houses.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You know,’ Paul said, ‘that I really have not hidden anything that is for your good instead I preached and I taught you among very many people (publicly) and in your homes.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You know also that I took great care in teaching you in the gatherings and also even in your homes. As I was teaching you and causing you to understand the word of God, I taught you everything that would be good for your faith.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You also know that I have-kept-nothing -to-myself that would be to your betterment in my preaching and teaching you in our meetings and even in your houses.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You also are well aware that I didn’t hide/keep from you any teaching which would be of benefit to you, but on the contrary I taught it in the presence of everyone and in your houses also.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 20:20

As with the two preceding verses, so verses 20 and 21 are one long sentence in Greek. The Good News Translation, along with others (see New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible), takes the main verb in verse 20 to mean hold back, and so understands as its object anything that would be of help to you. If this is done, the rest of verse 20 may be taken either (1) as an explanation of what Paul did in order to be of help to them (so New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible), or (2) as a reference to time, as in the Good News Translation: as I preached and taught you in public and in your homes. Others understand the verb hold back in the sense of “be silent about (out of fear),” and take the remainder of the verse as an explanation of what resulted from Paul’s unwillingness to shrink back in fear: “I never shrank from telling you anything that was for your good, nor from teaching you in public or at your houses” (An American Translation*; see also Revised Standard Version).

Did not hold back anything is equivalent in some languages to “did not keep from telling you” or “did not just keep for myself.”

In some languages the verbs preached and taught may require a specific indication of the content of the preaching and teaching—for example, “I preached and taught you the message about the Lord Jesus.”

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 .