brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” (in the sense of a fellow believer), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

See also brothers.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 28:14-16)

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 Refers to Luke, Paul, and Aristarchus).

Source: SIL International Translation Department (1999).

complete verse (Acts 28:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:14:

  • Uma: “When we got off the ship, we met with several one-faith relatives. They called us to go to their home and had us as their guests for a week. From there we walked to Roma.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There we (excl.) found some disciples of Isa. They urged us (excl.) to stay there with them one week. After that we (excl.) proceeded to Roma.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were some believers there which we found, and they persuaded us that we stay with them for a week. And then we continued walking, going to Rome. When the believers in Rome heard that we were arriving, they met us there in the market of Appio, and there also in the place called the Three Houses of Staying Overnight. And when Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and he was filled with hope.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There we (excl.) came-upon some of our (excl.) companions who believed in Jesus, and they persuaded (lit. held-onto) us (excl.) to stay-with them for a week. Then we (excl.) walked to go to Roma.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When we had gone ashore, some siblings in believing came to see/meet us. They asked us that if possible/acceptable we would stay there with them for a week. And then we set out and continued on to Roma.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:14

The verb found should probably not be interpreted as meaning “looked for and then discovered.” It is more appropriate to render this as “there we met some believers” or even “there were some believers there who asked us….”

Believers is literally “brothers” (New English Bible “fellow-Christians”); and a week (so New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible) is literally “seven days.”

And so we came to Rome may be rendered as “and this is the way we arrived at Rome,” “and this was the kind of journey we had in coming to Rome,” or “… in going to Rome” (depending, of course, upon the point of view of the narration). Since Luke himself is accompanying those who went to Rome, one would assume that the point of view would be “going.” If one assumes that this account was written in Rome, it might very well be rendered as “coming.” In Greek the same verb is used for either “coming” or “going.”

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 .