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 inclusive form (including the crowd in Ephesus).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 19:40:
Uma: “Because what we are doing is very frightening. The Roma government will say that our gathering is to make a rebellion/opposition. And if we are accused, what could we say, because we have no right [lit., seat] to make this noisy meeting.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because we (incl.) are in danger, we (incl.) might be accused because of the trouble that happened this day, when (in fact) there is no cause-for-it. Na, we (incl.) cannot give any excuse for this our (incl.) gathering.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because we might be asked today why we rioted in this way, and we have no reason to give why we did this.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because here-now I am worried, because if they file-charges-against us to our leaders in Roma on-account-of this rioting/disruption of yours, what perhaps will we give-as-an-excuse, because there is emphatically no proper cause-for-it?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For if the government in Roma finds out that we have done like this, it’s certain that we will all be accused of breaking their law which forbids making trouble. There really will be nothing we can come out with in defence of that trouble a while ago.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The city clerk expresses his fears, which are certainly not without grounds, that the right of self-government may be taken away from the city if there is a riot which they cannot explain or defend to the Roman authorities. We will be accused of a riot may be rendered as “the Romans will accuse us of causing a riot” or “the Romans will say, What had happened today is a riot.”
There is no excuse for all this uproar may be rendered as “no one can defend all this uproar” or “no one can say there was a good reason for all the uproar.” This latter alternative expression combines the two final clauses of verse 40 into one.
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 .
For: This phrase in Greek introduces a reason and indicates emphasis. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
For indeed (New American Standard Bible) -or-
For…really (English Standard Version)
19:40b
we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting: Demetrius and the craftsmen caused an uproar in the city. The resulting crowd had spent about two hours shouting. So it was possible that the Roman authorities could accuse the people of Ephesus of rioting.
This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
we are in danger of ⌊the authorities⌋ charging us with rioting -or-
some people might see this trouble today and say that we are rioting (New Century Version)
we are in jeopardy of: This clause refers to being at risk of the authorities accusing them of wrongdoing because of what they did. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
we run the risk of (God’s Word) -or-
We could easily (New Jerusalem Bible)
charged with rioting: The word charged refers to someone accuses someone else of wrongdoing. It usually implies in court. Here the city leaders or judges could take these people to court and say they had broken the law about rioting. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
accused of a riot (New American Standard Bible) -or-
taken to court for rioting
rioting: This word refers to a violent crowd damaging property and hurting or killing people. The Greek word in this sense here usually implies demanding political change. Rome, as rulers over Ephesus, would not want either and might punish the people responsible or even the city. Other ways to translate this word are:
having a violent uproar -or-
gathering together to hurt others -or-
being a crowd seeking to destroy things
19:40c
and: This Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as and implies a connection between the possibility of the authorities charging the people of the city with rioting and what is stated in this clause. Use a connector that indicates that 19:40c connects to 19:40a–b. For example:
In that case (New International Version)
we have no justification to account for this commotion: The phrase account for refers to explaining something. Here it indicates that the people would not be able to explain the uproar in a way that would convince the authorities not to punish them. Other ways to translate this clause are:
there being no cause that we can give to justify this commotion (Revised Standard Version) -or-
We won’t be able to explain this unruly mob
we have no justification: The verse implies no justification that the authorities would say was good. There was a justification for the uproar, but this reason would convince the authorities to punish them. In some languages the implied information must be supplied. For example:
there is no ⌊good⌋ reason for it
commotion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as commotion refers to a gathering that is disorderly or planning to cause trouble. Other ways to translate this word are:
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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