complete verse (Acts 28:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:9:

  • Uma: “After that, all of the sick of the island came asking-help of Paulus and he healed them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because of that, all people who had sickness on that island went also to Paul and they were healed also.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when this was known by the people, all the people who were sick there on the island went there, and they were healed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When what had happened to him became-known, all the other sick-people in that town went to Pablo, and he healed them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When everyone heard about that which Pablo had done, all who were ill on that island were then taken to Pablo. Each one he prayed for, the illness stopped.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:9

The word used for healed in this verse and in the preceding verse are different words. Some have suggested, though without wide acceptance, that whereas the former refers to miraculous healing, the latter indicates healing that Luke did as a physician. It is much more natural to assume that these were both acts of miraculous healing and that the verbs are not to be differentiated in meaning. The tenses of the verbs rendered came and were healed are such as to suggest that this is something that took place over a period of time rather than at one time only. Were healed may be recast as an active expression, “and Paul healed them.”

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 .