inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 28:11-13)

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 (only including the people on the boat).

Source: SIL International Translation Department (1999).

complete verse (Acts 28:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:12:

  • Uma: “We stopped at the town of Sirakusa , we were there three days.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We (excl.) docked there at the town Sirakus and we (excl.) were there three days (and nights).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We stopped by in the village of Syracuse, and we were there three days.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) went to Siracusa, and we (excl.) were three days there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When we sailed, we docked at Siracusa. We were there three days and then we sailed again.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:12

Syracuse was a port on the southeastern coast of Sicily. The Good News Translation has identified it as a city and has also employed the term city in speaking of Rhegium in verse 13. The classifier town has been employed for Puteoli.

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 .