centurion

The Greek that is translated as “centurion” in English is translated in Noongar as “boss of the Roman soldiers (lit.: ‘men of fighting’)” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Uma as “Roman army warchief” (source: Uma Back Translation), in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “a person who was not a Jew, the captain of a hundred soldiers” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Mairasi “leader of Roman warriors” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

Paul (icon)

Following is a Georgian Orthodox icon of Paul the Apostle from the 14th century (located in the Art Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi).

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

See also Paul.

Paul

The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Paul (and Saul)” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Paul (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also Paul (icon).

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 27:1)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the addressee).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Acts 27:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 27:1:

  • Uma: “After that, Feliks [sic. Should be Festus!] decided that Paulus be put on a ship going to the town of Roma in the land of Italia. So, Paulus and several other people who were jailed were handed-over to Yulius, a warchief in the Roma army called Kaisar’s Pasukan [Troops].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When they had agreed that we (excl.) would sail to the land of Italiya, they handed over/delivered Paul and the other prisoners into the hands of Juliyus, one of the captains of the company of Roman soldiers called ‘Company of the Leader King.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they decided that they would put us on a ship because they would send us to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners they turned over to Julius. Now as for Julius, he was a sergeant of the company of soldiers, the company which was named the Company of the High King.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When the day arrived when-we (excl.) and Pablo -were-to-set-out to go to Italia, they turned-over Pablo and the other prisoners to Julius who was a captain of the soldiers called Company of the Emperor.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When the day came when we would sail, that the governor would now cause Pablo to be delivered to Roma in the district of Italia, he handed over Pablo and some other prisoners to a captain of soldiers named Julio. He was a member of a big group of soldiers called Group of the Impiradur.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 27:1

By his use of we, the author of Acts evidently includes himself among those who went with Paul from Caesarea to Rome. But, as in other instances of the so-called “we” passages in Acts, the form should be exclusive for those languages which make a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person plural. This use of the exclusive form is necessary, since Luke is addressing this entire account to Theophilus.

Neither the subject of the passive verb it was decided nor the subject of the impersonal third person plural they handed … over is made explicit by Luke. Perhaps Governor Festus is intended to be the subject of the verb it was decided, while the Roman authorities were the ones who handed Paul … over to Julius. Accordingly, if is necessary to stipulate who does the deciding and who hands Paul over, one can employ Festus in the first instance and “Roman officers” in the second instance. To translate handed … over one may say: “put Paul and some other prisoners in the charge of Julius,” “gave Julius authority over Paul and some other prisoners,” or even “said to Julius, You are responsible to see that Paul and some other prisoners get to Rome.”

The Emperor’s was an honorary title frequently given to auxiliary troops. An army regiment is in some languages simply “a large number of soldiers,” though in most parts of the world a group of soldiers such as a regiment is relatively well known. However, it is important to indicate that this army regiment did not necessarily consist of Romans. It was simply an army regiment under the command of Rome or which “fought for Rome.” The expression The Emperor’s Regiment may be translated as “the regiment which belonged to the Emperor.”

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 .