inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 28:7)

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 and only including the shipwrecked people).

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

complete verse (Acts 28:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:7:

  • Uma: “Not far from there, there was a cultivated-field. That field was the field of Publius, the head [chief] of the island. With a good heart [i.e., with kindness] he called us to go to his house, and had us as his guests for three days.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Near that place there were lands/farms belonging to Publiyus, a chieftain (datu’) there on that island. He took us (excl.) to his house and he attended to us (excl.) very well for three days.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Near there were some fields belonging to Publius who was the chief there in that island. He had us come up into his house and he took care of us, and there we stayed for three days.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Close by that landing-place of ours (excl.) there was land belonging to Publius who was governor of the town. He had-us (excl.) -enter his house, and that’s where-we (excl.) -stayed three days.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The leader on that island was Publio. His land was near where we had come ashore. He was the one who received us. We were three days at their place and he was really good to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:7

The first phrase of this verse, not far from that place, serves as a transition to the account of Paul’s relationship to Publius, the chief of the island. Paul’s healing of the sick also serves to explain why Paul and his colleagues were so well treated by the people on the island.

Not far from that place appears in the Revised Standard Version and New English Bible as “in the neighborhood of that place.” The meaning is simply “near that place” and therefore may be translated as “not far from where this happened to Paul.” This may be only way of identifying that place satisfactorily.

Chief seems to have been an official title, perhaps either of the leading government official on the island or of a native official. In some languages the closest equivalent of chief would be “headman,” but in other languages the most appropriate term would be “the leading official.”

The same problem of ambiguity exists here as in verse 2 with us. Does Luke refer to all the persons who arrived on the ship, or does he limit his thoughts to the Christians? If a choice has to be made in translation, the latter seems preferable.

The adverb kindly is taken by most translators to modify the manner in which Paul and his companions were received as guests, rather than to modify the manner in which they were welcomed (note Moffatt “he welcomed us and entertained us hospitably”). We were his guests translates the Greek statement, “he entertained us (as guests).”

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 .