persecute, suffer

The Greek that is often translated as “persecute” or “suffer” in English has the option of various terms in Luang with different shades of meaning.

For Acts 8:1 and 9:4, ramuki-rama’ala (“hit and kick”). This term refers to “physical persecution.”

For Acts 7:6, 7:19, 7:24, rnahora-rnala’a (“to send here-to send there”, “give the run-around”). This term is used when “emotional pressure or frustration is in focus.”

For Acts 20:23, kropna-kreut (“send here-there”). This term is used for “pushing people around, treating them as no better than a slave.”

For 2 Tim. 1:12, mola-ma’a (“make shame”). This term is used when “making someone lose face, generally with words.”

Source: Kathy Taber in Notes on Translation 1/1999, p. 9-16.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 7:19)

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 inclusive form (including Stephen and his listeners).

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

complete verse (Acts 7:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:19:

  • Uma: “That king mistreated our ancestors long ago and persecuted them. He ordered them to throw out their babies so they would die.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He deceived our (incl.) nation/tribe and severely maltreated/did evil (things) to our (incl.) forefathers. They were forced to put their little babies outside of the house and to abandon (them) so that they would eventually die.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then,’ said Stephen, ‘this king, he cheated our ancestors and did bad to them. By means of force, he had the Jews throw away their children, far away so that they might die.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That king, he tricked our ancestors and persecuted them by forcing them to throw-away their babies to die.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Much was what he did, deceiving our nation. He really caused our ancestors to suffer, for he forced them to leave their babies outside so that they couldn’t live.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 7:19

Tricked is a word which appears only here in the New Testament; it means “to take advantage by trickery.” In most languages this is equivalent to “deceive.”

The equivalent of cruel is in many languages more specific, for example, “beat,” “tortured,” or “caused to suffer.”

To put … out of their homes is rendered by most translations as “to expose.” In either case the meaning is clear: the Egyptians made the Hebrews put their newborn children outside and leave them there to die. So that they would die is a positive way of expressing the Greek negative statement, “so they would not go on living.”

In a number of languages an expression such as put their babies out of their homes would not necessarily imply immediately the concept of the exposure. Of course, the final clause makes this perfectly clear. A more normal expression in some languages, however, is “to abandon their children” or “to leave their children outside.”

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 .