The name that is transliterated as “Pilate” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language (as well as in French Sign Language) with the sign signifying the washing of hands (referring to Matthew 27:24). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)
In American Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “government/governor” plus the sign for “P” with a circular movement. The reference to government indicates Pilate’s position of authority in the Roman Empire. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Pilate” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “chief priest” in English is translated in Muyuw as tanuwgwes lun or “ruler-of peace offering.” (Source: David Lithgow in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 118ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 23:13:
Noongar: “Pilate brought together the Chief Priests, the important men and the people,” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “From there, Pilatus gathered all the leading priests and the town elders with the people,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Then Pilatus called the chief priests and the elders and the people to gather.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when Jesus was again there before Pilate, Pilate gathered together the chief priests and the elders of the Jews and the many people,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Then Pilato caused-to-be-called the leaders of the priests and the other leaders of the Jews and the many-people,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Pilato assembled the chiefs of the priests, the important tribal-leaders and the crowd of people.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
sugkalesamenos tous archiereis kai tous archontas kai ton laon ‘after summoning the chief priests and the rulers and the people.’ For sugkaleō cf. on 9.1. ton laon (cf. on 1.10) is to be interpreted in the same sense as tous ochlous in v. 4.
archōn ‘ruler,’ ‘leader,’ here best understood as referring to the members of the Sanhedrin, cf. on 22.66.
(V. 14) prosēnegkate moi ton anthrōpon touton ‘you brought this man before me.’ prospherō with following accusative and dative means here, ‘to bring before a judge.’
hōs apostrephonta ton laon ‘as one who is misleading the people.’ hōs with participle implies that it is not an established fact but their subjective allegation.
apostrephō lit. ‘to turn away,’ i.e. from allegiance or obedience, hence ‘to mislead,’ ‘to cause to revolt,’ ‘to subvert.’ The phrase repeats in a condensed form the accusations of v. 2, and apostrephō is virtually equivalent to diastrephō.
kai idou ‘and behold’ (cf. on 1.20), emphasizing the contrast between the allegations of the priests and the result of Pilate’s examination.
egō enōpion humōn anakrinas ‘I (for one) having examined (him) in your presence.’ egō is emphatic.
anakrinō ‘to question,’ ‘to examine,’ with personal object (here understood), or in absolute sense, ‘to conduct an examination,’ preferably the former.
outhen heuron en tō anthrōpō toutō aition ‘I have found no fault in this man,’ repeating v. 4.
hōn katēgoreite kat’ autou lit. ‘of the things of which you accuse him,’ going with outhen … aition, ‘no guilt of,’ i.e. ‘no ground for the accusations you make against him.’
Translation:
Called together, or, ‘summoned,’ i.e. ordered the Jewish leaders and crowd (who probably were still, or again, standing around in the neighbourhood of Pilate’s palace) to come together again at the place where Jesus’ case was to continue.
The rulers, cf. on 18.18; or here, more specifically, “the … councillors” (New English Bible), ‘the other members of the Jewish council.’
(V. 14) Said to them. The pronoun refers to all the groups mentioned in v. 13; if one has to use honorifics with reference to the leaders, one should take care to render Pilate’s address in such a way that the crowd is not excluded from the persons addressed.
You brought me this man, preferably, ‘you brought this man before me,’ cf. on 12.11.
As one who was perverting the people, or, bringing out the force of “as” in another way, ‘you-were-saying: he is perverting the people’ (cf. Tae’ 1933).
To examine, or, ‘to interrogate,’ ‘to investigate.’
Before you, or, ‘in your presence,’ ‘while you were standing by, or, heard it.’
I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him may require rather radical changes of structure, cf. e.g. ‘I did not find that he has committed any of the crimes you say he has done,’ ‘bad thing not even one concerning him have I found like you accuse him’ (Ekari), ‘I did not find any case at all in those (things) you accuse him of’ (Shona 1966); or, expressing a concessive connexion, “I have found nothing criminal about him, in spite of all your accusations” (Phillips), cf. also, ‘he has no sin, I found, although he has much sin, you say’ (Tzeltal); or again, taking “charges” with “to examine”, ‘I held an investigation concerning the charges you brought forward but I did not find any crime/fault in Him’ (Bahasa Indonesia RC, similarly Marathi). For charge cf. on “accusation” in 6.7. — The first part of the sentence echoes Pilate’s words in v. 4 and is echoed again in v. 22, a stylistic trait which should preferably be preserved.
Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.