Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The term that is transliterated as “Paul” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the many letters he wrote. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Paul” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting putting away a sword, referring to his conversion from a persecutor of Christians to a Christian leader. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
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 jailer).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 16:28:
Uma: “When Paulus saw that, he called out from inside the jail, he said: ‘Don’t commit suicide, we (excl.) are all here!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But Paul called out loudly, he said, ‘Do not harm yourself. We (excl.) are all here.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Paul shouted out, ‘Don’t wound your body because here we all are inside, and no one has run away.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But Pablo shouted saying, ‘Don’t kill yourself (sing.), because we (excl.) are all still here!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But when it was now like that, Pablo called to him loudly, saying, ‘Don’t commit suicide for here we (excl.) are all indeed.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Luke does not explain how Paul knew that the jailer was about to kill himself or that the prisoners had not escaped. Speculation at this point is of no value to the translator.
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 .
Paul called out in a loud voice: This clause in Greek is literally “Paul shouted/called-out with a great voice.” For example:
Paul shouted at the top of his voice (Good News Translation)
The Berean Standard Bible allows the meaning “with a great voice” to be implied by the words called out in a loud voice.
Do not harm yourself! We are all here!: The Greek conjunction that is often translated “for” introduces the second clause. The second clause explains why the jailer should not harm himself. For example:
Do not harm yourself, for we are all here. (Revised Standard Version)
The Berean Standard Bible allows the context to indicate that the second clause is the reason and omits the Greek conjunction.
Do not harm yourself!: This clause in Greek is literally “Do nothing bad to yourself.” Paul somehow understood that the jailer was about to kill himself, so told him to not do that. Other ways to translate this clause are:
Don’t hurt yourself! (God’s Word) -or-
Stop! Don’t kill yourself! (New Living Translation (2004))
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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