25And as he discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.”
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “justice” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that describes the quality or principle of fairness, righteousness, and impartiality in treating other people. A literal back-translation of the signs are “FOLLOW(God is implied) ACTIONS, DECISIONS JUST-RIGHT”. A more idiomatic back-translation would be: “actions and decisions are right/fitting/just in accordance to God’s will.” The movement in the signs itself helps to indicate that this is a noun, not a verb. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Justice” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Greek that is typically translated as “self-control” in English is translated in Yamba and Bulu as “(a) cool heart.” (Source: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. )
In Eastern Highland Otomi it is translated as “be careful what one does,” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “determine that they cannot do the things that are not good, and in Highland Popoluca as “not do like our evil thoughts want.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 24:25:
Uma: “In Paulus’ speech, he said to Feliks like this: We must have straight deeds, and we must control our own desires, for there will come the Kiama Day, when God judges the cases of all mankind. Hearing this, Feliks became afraid, he said: ‘Enough for now! I will call you (sing.) again, when I have opportunity.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Paul also taught that a person should do what is straight/right and should not indulge his greedy-desires/lust. He taught about the judgment that God will soon cause to arrive on mankind in the future/in the near future. When Pilik heard this teaching of Paul, he was afraid, and he said to Paul, ‘You may leave now. If I have the time, I will call you again.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And while Paul was teaching him about righteous works and moderation of action and his expectancy of the day of punishment, Felix became afraid, and he said, ‘That’s enough for us right now. I will call you when I have time.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But while Pablo was teaching concerning righteous behavior, a person’s controlling himself and the coming day when-God -will-judge the many-people, Felix became-afraid and said, ‘That’s enough, you (sing.) just (lit. even if you) go now, so that on another occasion if I have opportunity, I will then again have-you (sing.) -called.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When Pablo arrived, he explained everything, what the lifestyle is like which is righteous in God’s sight, that it’s necessary to control oneself. He also taught that the day really will come when God will judge people. When Felix heard that, his-hair-stood-on-end-with-fear. He caused Pablo to stop, saying, ‘Well now, we’ll separate now but on another day I will have you fetched again.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The Greek, Hebrew, and Latin terms that are translated in English mostly as “righteous” as an adjective or personified noun or “righteousness” (also as “justice”) are most commonly expressed with concept of “straightness,” though this may be expressed in a number of ways. (Click or tap here to see the details)
Following is a list of (back-) translations of various languages:
Paasaal: “white heart” (source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
Nuer: “way of right” (“there is a complex concept of “right” vs. ‘left’ in Nuer where ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.”) (This and all above from Bratcher / Nida except for Bilua: Carl Gross; Tiv: Rob Koops; Muna: René van den Berg)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “walk straight” (source for this and four previous: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
Aari: The Pauline word for “righteous” is generally rendered by “makes one without sin” in the Aari, sometimes “before God” is added for clarity. (Source: Loren Bliese)
Ekari: maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (the same word that is also used for “truth“; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).
Guhu-Samane: pobi or “right” (also: “right (side),” “(legal) right,” “straightness,” “correction,” “south,” “possession,” “pertinence,” “kingdom,” “fame,” “information,” or “speech” — “According to [Guhu-Samane] thinking there is a common core of meaning among all these glosses. Even from an English point of view the first five can be seen to be closely related, simply because of their similarity in English. However, from that point the nuances of meaning are not so apparent. They relate in some such a fashion as this: As one faces the morning sun, south lies to the right hand (as north lies to the left); then at one’s right hand are his possessions and whatever pertains to him; thus, a rich man’s many possessions and scope of power and influence is his kingdom; so, the rich and other important people encounter fame; and all of this spreads as information and forms most of the framework of the people’s speech.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 11ff.)
Goodness translates the word generally rendered “righteousness” (see An American Translation* “uprightness” and Revised Standard Version “justice”). Some understand it to be limited to the more specific idea of “morality” (Moffatt) or “morals” (New English Bible), while the Good News Translation has understood it in the more general sense of goodness. In some languages there is no noun “goodness,” but one can employ an expression such as “discussed what it meant to be good.”
The other two topics which Paul discussed, self-control and the coming Day of Judgment, are understood in most translations in precisely the same manner that the Good News Translation has taken them. Self-control is rendered in some languages as “the ability to command one’s self,” “being able to say no to one’s own desires,” or “holding one’s self down.” The coming Day of Judgment may be rendered as “the day when God would judge everyone” or “the day when God would judge all the good and bad things people have done.”
You may leave now is in Greek an imperative, which a number of translators have also taken in this softened sense (note An American Translation*, Moffatt, and Jerusalem Bible “you may go for the present”). Now must be taken to mean “for the present time.”
Felix’s reply to Paul should be understood either in the sense of when I get the chance (Revised Standard Version “when I have an opportunity”) or with the meaning of “when I have time” (see Moffatt “when I can find a moment”). Felix was not putting Paul off, as might be implied by such a translation as “when I find it convenient I will send for you again” (New English Bible; see also Jerusalem Bible), and An American Translation* is probably correct in making this into an unqualified statement: “I will find time later to send for you.” Despite all the other characteristics that the Herodian family may have possessed, Luke always gives the impression that they were interested in persons connected with the Christian faith. See, for example, Luke 9.9 and 23.8.
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 .
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