inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 16:12)

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 exclusive form (excluding the addressee).

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

complete verse (Acts 16:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 16:12:

  • Uma: “From there, we (excl.) came down from the ship and we (excl.) walked to the town of Filipi. Filipi, it was a town in the first part of Makedonia. Many Roma people dwelled in that village. We(excl.) stayed there for several nights.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Arriving there we (excl.) went up to Pilipi, a big city there in Makedoniya. Many people of the Roma tribe lived there. We (excl.) stopped there a few days.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We got down there and went upstream and we arrived in the village of Philippi which is in the earliest district of the province of Macedonia. As for the town of Philippi, there were many Roman settlers there. And for how many days we were there in the village of Philippi.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) disembarked there and walked to Filipos which was the largest town in that district of Macedonia. The majority of the inhabitants there, they were from-Roma. From-Roma also were the officials. And that’s where-we (excl.) -stayed how-many days.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There is where we (excl.) then embarked and then walked continuing on to Filipos, a praiseworthy city in the first section of the province of Macedonia. The majority of those living there were Romano, for Filipos was a colony (expl. in glossary). We(excl.) were there for quite a while.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Macedonia

The name that is transliterated as “Macedonia” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that shows pillars, a hallmark of the architecture used there in the Roman period and also prominently used today at Archaeological Museum of the Republic of North Macedonia (see here ). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Macedonia” in Libras (source )

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Macedonia (source: Bible Lands 2012)

More information about Macedonia (Greece) .

Translation commentary on Acts 16:12

The phrase a city of the first district of Macedonia represents an attempt to make sense out of a very difficult Greek text, and there are other possibilities, as the Good News Translation alternative renderings indicate: “the main city of the district of Macedonia” or “the main city of that district in Macedonia.” The problem is that Philippi was not the chief city in the province of Macedonia; Thessalonica was both the leading city and the capital. Moreover, Macedonia had been divided into four districts, and Philippi was not the leading city of the district in which it was located; that honor had gone to the capital city of the district, Amphipolis. The rendering in the Good News Translation actually translates a conjecture as to what may have been the original reading of the Greek, and it seems to make the best sense in the context.

In rendering the expression a city of the first district of Macedonia, it may be necessary to be somewhat more specific than the Good News Translation phrase is—for example, “a city which was located in the first region of the province of Macedonia.” In order to supplement the meaning of first district, it may be useful to have a marginal note indicating that there were four districts and that Philippi was simply located in what was regarded as the first of these districts. Where already existing translations have established a tradition of regarding Philippi as a “leading city” or “very important city,” it may be necessary to provide some supplementary note which will indicate the basis for this different translation.

Apart from a geographical location, there was no difference between living in a city located in Italy and in a Roman colony abroad. The rights of a colony were essentially threefold: self-government, freedom from taxes and tributes, and the same privileges as the citizens of any Italian city. It is not easy in some languages to find an adequate expression for Roman colony. In some instances the closest equivalent is “a city which had been built by the Romans” or “a city which had been populated by people who came from Rome.” It may even be useful at this point to have a marginal note describing precisely what a Roman colony was. This would be useful to the average reader in understanding something of the implications of the latter part of this chapter.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 16:12

16:12a

From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi: The city of Philippi was about sixteen kilometers (ten miles) inland from the coast. It was about 190 meters (600 feet) above sea level. It was a journey of about four or five hours on foot. Other ways to translate this clause are:

From there/Neapolis, we walked to ⌊the city/town of⌋ Philippi
-or-
Then we went by land to Philippi (New Century Version)

16:12b

the Roman colony of Philippi: This phrase indicates that Philippi belonged to Rome and its citizens were citizens of Rome, even though the land was in Macedonia. The authorities governed the city according to Roman law. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

a city officially a part of Rome
-or-
a city legally ruled by Roman leaders
-or-
a city following the Roman ways

the leading city of that district of Macedonia: There is a textual issue regarding the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as leading:

(1) The Greek phrase reads “of first of the district of Macedonia city.” So “first” connects to the word city and means “important.” For example:

the principal city of that district of Macedonia (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, English Standard Version, New Century Version, King James Version)

(2) The Greek phrase reads “first of district of the Macedonia city.” So “first” connects to the word district and means “first.” For example:

a city of the first district of Macedonia (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because the UBS Handbook Greek NT chose it.

the leading city: This phrase in Greek is literally “a first/prominent city.” Philippi was not the capital city of Macedonia or of that district in Macedonia, but it was an important city. For example:

a leading city (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
a major city (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
a praiseworthy city
-or-
a city with a big name

that district of Macedonia: There were four districts in the province of Macedonia. Philippi was an important city in that particular district.

16:12c

we stayed there several days: This refers to the time before the Sabbath day mentioned in 16:13.

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