devout

The Greek that is often translated in English as “devout” is translated in Lalana Chinantec as “who revered God,” in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “who obey and worship God,” in Eastern Highland Otomi as “that remembered God,” in San Mateo del Mar Huave as “worshipers of God,” in Tzotzil as “they were zealously doing God’s word they thought,” in Coatlan Mixe as “they comply with all Jewish customs” (esp. Acts 2:5) and in Mezquital Otomi as “very much believed what they had been taught about God.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Chichewa, “devout men” in Acts 8:2 is anthu ena okonda Mulungu or “some people who loved God” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999). (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 90)

complete verse (Acts 2:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:5:

  • Uma: “At that time also, there were in Yerusalem many Yahudi from towns all over the world. Those people were all ones who submitted to Lord God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “At that time there were in Awrusalam Yahudi from the-many-countries in the world. They were very religious people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there were Jews there in Jerusalem who had come from every country here on top of the earth, and they were faithful in carrying out the commands of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There were Jews who were serving God who were staying in Jerusalem. They were from all the nations in this world.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, at that time, there were in Jerusalem Jews who came from many different lands here under the heavens. As for those people, they were indeed devout-worshippers of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Translation commentary on Acts 2:5

The narrative is continued in 2.5-13, but it is essential, in light of the shift of viewpoint, that new participants be introduced. Therefore, verse 5 is essentially a means of introducing the crowd which heard the believers speaking in tongues.

The English introductory expression there were provides a good transition, but in some languages it is important to make the link with the preceding more evident, for example, by carrying over the reference to the city of Jerusalem, as “in this city of Jerusalem Jews from everywhere were living.” This reference to the city picks up a specific identification in 1.12, but the same location is implicit in all the preceding sections.

Religious men refers to the Jews living in Jerusalem and not to a category of Gentile believers or others separate from the Jews. An abstract such as religious must often be made more specific, for example, “those who regularly worshiped God” or “those who customarily prayed to God.” Some languages do not have an abstract such as “religious,” but they indicate essentially the same content by a set expression referring to customary worship or prayer.

The phrase every country is here not to be understood in an absolute sense, but in no language are terms such as “all” and “everyone” always construed as absolute.

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 .