complete verse (Acts 21:31)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 21:31:

  • Uma: “While they were all set to kill Paulus, there were also people who went to announce to the head of the Roman soldiers, saying that there was a big noisiness in the city.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “While they were about to kill Paul, the news reached/arrived to the colonel (kelnel) of the Roman soldiers that the whole Awrusalam was in an uproar.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They wanted to kill him, however someone told the captain of the Roman soldiers that all the people in Jerusalem were rioting.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “While they were trying to kill him, someone reported-it to the commander of the soldiers who were Romano that all the inhabitants were rioting.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They really wanted to kill Pablo. But when the highest-ranking-officer of the Romano soldiers there in Jerusalem knew that the whole city was troubled,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Translation commentary on Acts 21:31

There is no expressed noun subject to the verb was trying (most translations simply have “they were trying”), but the obvious reference is to the people who had gathered and had become a mob. Commander (originally a word referring to a leader of 1,000 men) was a technical term used to describe the Roman military officer in charge of a regiment (see 10.1); in other translations it occurs as “tribune” (Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible), “colonel” (Phillips), and “officer commanding” (New English Bible, Barclay).

The expression a report was sent up to the commander may be rendered as “someone went and told the commander” or “some people sent a messenger to the commander.”

Roman troops is rendered elsewhere in the Good News Translation as regiment (10.1; 27.1). In the present context it has specific reference to the Roman garrison stationed in the tower of Antonia overlooking the temple area from the northwest corner (see Barclay “the company of soldiers on garrison duty”; Moffatt “the garrison”).

Although the verb rendered was rioting (see Jerusalem Bible) may mean that the people in the city were merely gathering together, almost all translations do as the Good News Translation has done (see King James Version, Phillips, Barclay “was in an uproar”). Luke has chosen to use a present tense of the verb rioting rather than the past tense, in order to make his description of the events more vivid.

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 21:31

Paragraph 21:31–36

21:31a

While they were trying to kill him: 21:32c indicates that the crowd was beating Paul. They probably used their fists.

21:31b

commander: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as commander means “leader of one thousand.” The Latin phrase is “tribunus militum.” This kind of officer commanded six hundred to a thousand soldiers in the Roman army. This leader would have six to ten centurions under him who each would lead about 100 soldiers. Other ways to translate this word are:

tribune (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
officer (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
commanding officer (NET Bible)

the Roman regiment: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Roman regiment refers to an army unit of six hundred to a thousand soldiers. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the cohort (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
the Roman troops (New International Version)
-or-
the Roman army in Jerusalem (New Century Version)

See how you translated this Greek word in 10:1 (“Regiment”).

Roman: This word means “from Rome” or “under submission to the government in Rome.” The Roman people named themselves by their capital city, Rome.

received a report: This clause indicates that someone told the commander. Other ways to translate this clause are:

word came (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
a report was sent to
-or-
someone told/reported

received: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as received is literally “went up.” Here it probably means “went to someone in authority.” The fortress was above the temple area, so someone from the temple area may have actually gone up to the commander. But more likely a lookout in the fortress tower overlooking the temple area descended to tell the commander.

21:31c

was in turmoil: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was in turmoil refers to being angry and disorderly. It is the same Greek word translated as “stirred up” at 21:27c. But here it refers to being angry and disorderly rather than causing others to be angry and disorderly. Other ways to translate this Greek word are:

acted like a mob
-or-
was/were upset and disorderly
-or-
was/were angry and ready to riot

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