complete verse (Acts 26:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 26:3:

  • Uma: “Especially since the King knows well the customs and teachings that the Yahudi people argue about. That is why I please ask that you (sing.) patiently listen to my defense.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am the more glad because you do know the customs of the Yahudi and (the things) they always quarrel-about. Therefore I beg your forgiveness, listen to me. Just/simply do not become tired-of-it/fed-up.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason it gives me great joy is because you thoroughly understand the disputes and the customs of us Jews (incl.). Therefore I beg you to listen to what I have to say.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because as for you (sing.), you (sing.) admittedly thoroughly know the customs of us (incl.) Jews and what-we -argue-about. I request therefore that you (sing.) be-patient to listen to this that I will say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Especially so since, as for you, you keep aware of all of these happenings and things argued about by us Jews. Now respects to you, hopefully you won’t become-fed-up with listening to these things I will explain in detail.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 26:3

Especially may be taken either as a modifier of true or as a modifier of the verb know (see Revised Standard Version “because you are especially familiar”; Lake “especially since you are expert”). Know so well translates a noun meaning “expert.”

Questions (Jerusalem Bible “[matters of] … controversy”; New English Bible “disputes”) is the same word translated arguments in 25.19; here it refers to the questions regarding theological issues that were often discussed within Judaism. Jewish customs and questions may be translated as “the way the Jews live and their differences” or “the ways in which they differ from one another.”

I ask you, then, to listen to me with patience serves the same purpose in this present address as I beg you to be kind and listen to our brief account did in the speech of Tertullus (24.4). Patience may be rendered as “with your heart open” or, in some languages, with an expression which is more or less equivalent to “sympathetically.” The focus here is upon the patience which is required because of the presumed length of the account which is to follow.

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 .