14Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of crime or serious villainy, I would be justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews,
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)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 18:14:
Uma: “Paulus had not-yet had an opportunity to speak, Governor Galio said: ‘Ee, you Yahudi people! If what you accuse him of were mentioning some transgression of the town laws or some behavior that is really evil, I would be patient to listen to your accusations.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Paul was about to speak but Governor Galliyo spoke to the Yahudi. He said, ‘If this matter was about evil doings or doings that are not straight, it would be right for me to hear/listen-to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Paul wanted to speak, but Gallio spoke to the Jews and said, ‘As for you Jews, if it is a great trouble like a true sin or a bad doing of this person, I would put up with judging over you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Pablo was-about-to speak, but just-then Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If that-one had a crime (but he doesn’t) or something-bad he has done, I would certainly (concession particle) put-up-with listening to you Jews.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Pablo was just about to reply to that which they were saying when Galion said to those who had arrested Pablo, ‘If what you have found fault with against him was a heavy crime or evil, of course I wouldn’t be able to ignore it, but on the contrary, I would attend to judging it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
In such contexts as the present, the literal expression “to open the mouth” means simply to speak. In Greek the conditional sentence beginning with if makes clear that Gallio is saying the matter is not one of some wrong or evil crime, and therefore he will not be patient with the Jews. Evil crime, a word which occurs only here in the New Testament (see the related word evil tricks in 13.10), originally meant “prank” or “mean trick,” but its connection with the word wrong seems to imply that for Luke and his readers it must have had a more serious connotation. “Crime” appears in New American Bible, Revised Standard Version, Twentieth Century New Testament, Moffatt; Jerusalem Bible translates both these terms together as “crime,” comparable to what the LUTHER Revised has done. On the other hand, some translators attempt to keep the etymological connection and so render “fraud” (Barclay) and “underhanded rascality” (C. B. Williams).
The passive expression that has been committed can be made active, with Paul as the subject—for example, “that this man Paul has committed.”
It would be reasonable for me may be rendered as “it would be only right for me” or “I would rightly be patient.”
The term patient, in this type of context, may be rendered as “listen to you attentively to the end,” “listening with understanding,” or even as in some languages “listen to you in a friendly way.”
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 .
But just as Paul was about to speak: This phrase in Greek is literally “Paul, being about to open the mouth.” This refers to just before Paul would begin to speak. Other ways to translate this clause are:
But when Paul was about to open his mouth (Revised Standard Version) -or-
Before Paul could open his mouth (New Jerusalem Bible) -or-
Even before Paul could speak (Contemporary English Version)
to speak: Paul would have begun to defend his actions. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly imply a different reason to speak. If that is true in your language, indicate the implied information. For example:
to defend himself
18:14b–15b
Gallio is not happy with the Jews bringing such an accusation. Gallio’s words imply that he is unhappy, annoyed, or even exasperated with them. Consider how to indicate or imply that Gallio feels that way.
18:14b
If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews: The Greek words are literally “If it was some wrong or evil crime, O Jews.” The address O Jews occurs in the middle of the sentence. In some languages, it is more natural to have the address first. For example:
O Jews, if it was some wrong or evil crime
The matter
The Greek words imply that the Jews did not have a valid complaint. Consider how your language uses an if-clause to speak of an event that did not happen. For example:
If it had been a question of crime or grave misdemeanour,…you Jews (Revised English Bible) -or-
Listen, you Jews. If this were a misdemeanour or a crime (New Jerusalem Bible)
a wrongdoing or vicious crime: The word a refers here to any kind of wrongdoing or vicious crime. It refers generally to a wrongdoing and to a vicious crime, but does not name which wrongdoing or vicious crime.
wrongdoing: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wrongdoing refers to harming someone on purpose. Other ways to translate this word are:
misdemeanor (New International Version) -or-
wrong (Good News Translation) -or-
crime (New Century Version)
vicious: The Greek word is literally “evil.” Other ways to translate this word are:
serious (New International Version) -or-
wicked (King James Version)
crime: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as crime refers to prank or deed that deceives people. The context implies that such a prank or deed was prohibited by law. Other ways to translate this word are:
villainy (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
illegal deception
18:14c
it would be reasonable for me: This clause indicates that listening to the accusation would be according to right behavior or according to proper reasoning. Other ways to translate this clause are:
I should have reason (Revised Standard Version) -or-
it would be in order for me (New Jerusalem Bible) -or-
reason would demand that (God’s Word)
18:14d
to hear your complaint: This clause in Greek is literally “I would endure your (complaint).” It indicates that Gallio would have listened patiently to the accusation of the Jews and what they said to support their accusation. Other ways to translate this clause are:
to bear with you (Revised Standard Version) -or-
endured listening to your complaint/accusations
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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