inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 21:7)

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 the addressee).

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

brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” (in the sense of a fellow believer), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

See also brothers.

complete verse (Acts 21:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 21:7:

  • Uma: “From Tirus we (excl.) continued, arriving at the town of Ptolemais. There also we (excl.) visited one-faith relatives and greeted them. We(excl.) were one night with them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then we (excl.) sailed from Tiros to Tolemas. When we (excl.) arrived there, we (excl.) greeted our (excl.) fellow disciples of Isa who were there, and we (excl.) were there with them one day.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We left the town of Tyre and we went on and landed in the town of Ptolemais, and we stayed there with the believers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When we (excl.) arrived then at Tolemais upon our (excl.) coming-from Tiro, we (excl.) disembarked, and we (excl.) went to visit the believers in Jesus there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “From Tiro, we (excl.) went straight to Tolemaida. Going ashore, we (excl.) went to see/meet the believers there. That’s where we (excl.) slept.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 21:7

We continued our voyage is taken by a number of translators to mean “we finished our voyage” (Jerusalem Bible, La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Zürcher Bibel, Dios Habla Hoy). The verb itself originally meant “to complete,” but there are passages in classical Greek where it was used with exactly the same meaning as given by the Good News Translation. The question is whether Luke understood Paul’s voyage as being at an end when he reached Ptolemais, or whether he looked upon this as being merely a continuation of Paul’s voyage. This is related to another question, which cannot be answered definitely, whether Paul went from Ptolemais to Caesarea by land or by sea.

Ptolemais, a city named in honor of the Egyptian ruler Ptolemy II, was a fortress city located on the northern end of the bay directly across from Mount Carmel, which was on the southern side of the bay.

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 .