complete verse (Acts 5:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 5:35:

  • Uma: “After that, then he said to the judges: ‘My relatives, people of Israel! Consider well just what you want to do to these people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then he said to the councilors, ‘You, my fellow tribesmen of Isra’il, you be careful whatever you are going to do to these men.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Gamaliel said to his companions, he said, ‘You my companions, the descendants of Israel, let’s not be in a hurry about what we do to these people because we might be mistaken.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They put-them-out, then Gamaliel said, ‘Fellow descendants of Israel, let’s be circumspect/careful what we do with those-people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “After they had gone, then he spoke. He said, ‘My fellow-countrymen who are descendants of Israel, we must be careful, and think well about what we intend to do to them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 5:35

The Council replaces the pronoun “them,” and serves to make clear to the reader that Gamaliel is addressing the Council and not the apostles.

Since Gamaliel is also a member of the Council, it may be necessary to employ an expression such as “fellow-men of Israel.”

A translation of be careful may be rendered in a number of ways—for example, “think again,” “be concerned about,” or “have fear about.”

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 .