complete verse (Acts 25:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:26:

  • Uma: “But I do not-yet have an explanation [lit., straightness] that is fitting for me to write in a letter to Kaisar. So, that is why I now bring him here, especially to King Agripa whom I respect. My intention is that when this examination of ours is over, there will be something that I can write.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But I have no reason to write to the Leader King,’ Pestus said. ‘Therefore I have brought him here to face you (pl.), and especially to you, Sir Agarippa, in order that after you have examined this case, perhaps I may have (something) to write to the Leader King.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But I have nothing to write about him which is worthy of going to our king, therefore I brought him before you (pl.) today and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that I might have something to write after you have investigated him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But I know of nothing proper to write to the Emperor about him. And that is the reason I have brought him before you all, and especially you (sing.) King Agrippa, in order that I will have something to write when we are finished trying him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But well, I don’t know anything which I can write concerning him which is acceptable/possible to send to that master of ours. That’s why today, I am standing him in the presence of all of you, especially before you, respected King, so that when he is interrogated, I will have something to put in the letter which will be sent there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 25:26

To the Emperor is literally “to the Lord,” a term which was very often applied to the Roman Emperor. One of the early conflicts between Christianity and the Roman government grew out of the fact that the Christians said “Jesus Christ is Lord,” whereas the Roman people said “the Emperor is Lord.”

It may be necessary to imply with the verb brought him that Paul has been brought “in order to speak before you.”

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 .