complete verse (Acts 20:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 20:26:

  • Uma: “That is why I make it plain to you from the start today, if there are any of you who receive disaster in the future, it is no longer my fault.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore I am telling you this day, that if there is one among you who will go to hell, I cannot be blamed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I say to you that if there is even one of you that is not freed from God’s punishment, I have not sinned against him,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore I definitely/firmly tell you now, if any of you is separated from God to be punished, it is not my fault (lit. sin),” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore, I testify now today that if anyone falls into punishment from God, I won’t have anything to answer for over it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 20:26

So draws a conclusion from what precedes: since Paul has preached to them the Kingdom of God, he is not responsible if any of (them) should be lost. Note that the particle so should relate the first part of verse 26 to the first part of verse 25 rather than to the second sentence, which speaks of the people never seeing Paul again.

The verb translated solemnly declare is literally “testify,” but in the present passage it obviously has a very strong meaning, and the Good News Translation has attempted to bring this out (see Jerusalem Bible “I swear”). The closest equivalent in some languages is “I tell you strongly” or “I tell you with important words.”

The biblical idiom “I am pure from your blood” has been rendered by the Good News Translation as if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible. See the similar statement in 18.6. When used in this way, “blood” is equivalent to “death,” and so the phrase could be taken to mean “I am not responsible for your death.” However, since Paul is speaking of eternal death, the phrase is perhaps best rendered as in the Good News Translation: if any of you should be lost, I am not responsible.

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 .