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 25:10:
Uma: “Paulus said: ‘Father Governor! As of now, I am standing in the office of Governor, for Governor is the deputy of Kaisar, our king in Roma. And it is surely appropriate that the rulers of Roma should decide my case. You (sing.) know yourself that there is no wrong of mine against the Yahudi people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Paul said, ‘I am now standing here in the judgment place of the Leader King (emperor). It should be here where I am judged. You know very well, Sir, that I have done nothing bad to the Yahudi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Paul said, ‘Here I am today in the court according to the law of our king there in Rome, and this is the proper place to investigate me. And you know that I have not done anything bad to the Jews.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But Pablo said in reply, ‘I emphatically refuse, because here I am here before you (sing.), and it should be here that I am tried, because you (sing.) after-all are emphatically the one whom the Emperor appointed to judge me. As for the Jews however, you (sing.) certainly know I have no crime against them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But Pablo replied, ‘No. I really can’t accept that. Now that I am here now in the presence of the judge set up by the Impiradur, it’s necessary that here is where I be investigated. You have really comprehended already that there is nothing wrong at all which I have done against my fellow Jews.” (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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-zonji (ご存じ), a combination of “know” (zonji) and the honorific prefix go-.
Paul is convinced that Festus must certainly know of his innocence, and you yourself is an emphatic expression in Greek. Thus Paul seemingly suspects that Festus’ question is only a device for gaining favor with the Jews.
It is not at all easy to introduce meaningfully an expression such as I am standing before the Emperor’s own judgment court. In fact, this first clause may very well be combined with the second clause, and the entire sentence translated as “I insist that my case should be judged in the Emperor’s own court” or “I insist that the Emperor should judge my case.”
I have done no wrong to the Jews may be rendered as “I have not caused the Jews any harm” or “I have not hurt the Jews.”
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 answered respectfully here but he may have implied a rebuke in 25:10c.
replied: The Greek word is literally “said.” But Paul answered the question of Festus, so many English versions translate the Greek verb as replied.
I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar: The phrase am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar is emphasized in the Greek clause. Paul emphasized the fact that he was in a Roman court and therefore should not be put under the control of the Jews in any way. He even did not want a place favorable for the Jews to sway Festus as judge. If possible, emphasize the phrase in your translation. For example:
It is Caesar’s court that I am now standing in/before -or-
I am now standing before Caesar’s court (New International Version) -or-
This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. (New Living Translation (2004))
the judgment seat of Caesar: This phrase indicates that the judge in this court was there by the authority of Caesar, leader of the Romans. It was a court of Roman law. Caesar himself was not there. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
the official Roman court (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
the judge appointed by Caesar
25:10b
where I ought to be tried: This clause in Greek is literally “where it is necessary for me to be judged.” Paul said here that it was right or proper for a Roman judge such as Festus to judge him. Other ways to translate this clause are:
where it is required that I be tried/judged -or-
where it is only proper for me to stand trial ⌊for these accusations⌋
25:10c
I have done nothing wrong to the Jews: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as done…wrong refers to doing something unjust or not righteous.
If, for example, you translate “righteous” as “upright,” you may want to translate this clause as:
I have not done anything to the Jews that is not upright
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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