21:21a–e
they are under the impression: Here the Jerusalem elders told Paul about the rumors about his teaching. The rumors were different than what Paul had actually been teaching.
In some languages the implied information will be clear. But in some languages the implied information must be explicit in your translation for the correct meaning. For example:
They had been ⌊wrongly⌋ informed
-or-
they have heard rumors that…
they: This refers to the Jewish believers of Judea mentioned in 21:20.
21:21b
all the Jews who live among the Gentiles: This phrase refers to Jewish believers who did not live in Judea. They lived in other countries among the non-Jewish peoples. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
all Jews living among the gentiles (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
all the Jews living among non-Jewish people (God’s Word)
-or-
the Jewish people who dwell as foreigners in the places/countries of the non-Jewish peoples
the Gentiles: See how you translated this phrase in 21:19.
21:21c
to forsake Moses: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to forsake means “rebel” or “abandon.” Here it refers to rejecting or ignoring the law of Moses. Other ways to translate this clause are:
to disregard the Law of Moses (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
to abandon the Law of Moses (Good News Translation)
-or-
to turn their backs on the laws of Moses (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they should stop keeping the law of Moses
Moses: Here the name Moses refers to the “law of Moses.” See the examples above.
21:21d–e
telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs: This clause gives two examples of “to turn away from Moses.” Other ways to translate this clause are:
in that you tell them not to circumcise…
-or-
They claim that you are telling them not to circumcise their sons or to follow our customs. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Specifically, you tell them not to circumcise…
circumcise: The word circumcise means to cut off the loose skin at the end of a boy’s or man’s penis. In the Jewish custom, a man who specialized in doing circumcision would perform this operation. For a newborn boy, the father himself might do it. Among the Jews, circumcision was an important custom that must be done for every male.
In some cultures, it is acceptable to use a word or phrase that means “cut off the loose skin at the end of a boy’s penis.” In other cultures, it is necessary to use a euphemism to describe this event. Some examples are:
cut the skin
-or-
mark ⌊the body to show he belongs to God⌋
-or-
receive the mark
In some cultures people do not circumcise babies, and in some cultures they do not circumcise males. In other cultures circumcision may be done for different reasons than Jewish circumcision. If that is true in your culture, you may want to include a footnote to explain the Jewish custom. An example footnote is:
Circumcision is the cutting off of the flap of skin at the end of the penis. Every male Jew was required to be circumcised. Circumcision was the sign that he was a member of the community with whom God had made the covenant with the Jews.
their children: Because only male children were circumcised, you could translate this as “their sons.”
our customs: This phrase refers to Jewish religious customs required by the law of Moses. Circumcision was one of these customs. It would include other practices and rituals associated with the law of Moses. As an alternative, the BDAG calls it the “way of life.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:
customary practices (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
rules for living ⌊that he/Moses gave to us⌋
General Comment on 21:21a–e
In some languages it will be more natural to use direct speech to report what people said Paul taught. For example, you might say:
They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles, “Turn away from Moses. Do not circumcise your children or live according to Jewish customs.”
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