complete verse (Acts 25:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:5:

  • Uma: “It is better for whoever of you are speakers to go with me to Kaisarea, so that there I can listen to your accusations, if there really is any wrong of his.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Let those of you who have authority come with me down to Kesarea and accuse him there if he has really done something bad.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “have your bosses go along with me so that they might make accusation against him if he has done anything wrong.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So why don’t (lit. even-if) some of your leaders go-along to file-charges there, if he has done something wrong.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What would be good is, you send some with me of your tribal-leaders. For if it is true that there is evil which he has done, there is where they are to bring up your case.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 25:5

Let your leaders go to Caesarea is, of course, not an expression of permission, but of implied command—for example, “cause your leaders to go to Caesarea with me.”

If he has done anything wrong (see Moffatt “and charge the man with whatever crime he has committed”) is a direct interpretation of the Greek expression (literally “if there is anything out of place in the man”).

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 .