complete verse (Acts 7:50)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:50:

  • Uma: “Seeing that I am the one who made everything!’ Thus are the Words of the Lord.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘For I am the one who made the sky and the world/earth.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “because I am the one who created this earth and all the things that are in it.’ ‘” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because it is I who made all that exists.’ That’s what God caused-to-be-written back then,’ said Esteban.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “since I indeed am the one who created all these things?”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 7:50

If the form of the question is to be retained in verse 50, it must be so structured as to imply a strong affirmation that God had himself made all such things. If this cannot be brought out clearly in the question, then one may shift to an emphatic statement. After all, the question is merely rhetorical even as the preceding two questions are, and in some languages such expressions must be restructured as emphatic statements. God is obviously not asking for information, but by means of the question form is emphasizing his lack of dependence upon what man has built.

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 .