inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 27:5)

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 27:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 27:5:

  • Uma: “From there we cut across the sea that faces the lands of Kilikia and Pamfilia, until we arrived in the town of Mira in the land of Likia.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “After-that we (excl.) passed-by close to the land Kilikiya and Pampiliya, so-then we arrived at Mira, a town there in the land of Likiyas and we (excl.) disembarked (lit. went-down) there.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And after we had crossed the sea which is near the provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed in the town of Myra in the province of Lycia.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then we (excl.) crossed the ocean across-from the provinces Cilicia and Pamfilia, and we (excl.) landed/docked at Mira in the province Licia.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When we had now crossed over the bay of Cilicia and Panfilia, we came to Mira, a town of Licia.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 27:5

The verb rendered crossed over is a verb meaning “to sail on the open sea,” as opposed to sailing along the shore. The sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia may be translated in some languages as “that part of the sea which was by the provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia” or “that part of the ocean which touched the provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia.”

It may be necessary to stipulate that Myra is a city and Lycia a province—for example, “we came to the city of Myra in the province of Lycia.”

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 .