complete verse (Acts 25:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:22:

  • Uma: “From there, King Agripa said to Festus: ‘I also want to hear his words.’ Festus said: ‘Tomorrow we will hear him.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Agarippa said to Pestus, ‘I also would-like to hear this man.’ ‘Tomorrow you will hear him,’ said Pestus.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘I would like to hear also his arguments.’ ‘Tomorrow you shall hear,’ said Festus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “After that King Agrippa said, ‘Even I, I would also like to hear him.’ ‘Tomorrow then,’ said Festus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When Agripa heard, he said to Festo, ‘If possible/acceptable, I would like to listen to that person.’ ‘Why not?’ said Festo. ‘Tomorrow you will hear him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

Japanese benefactives (okiki)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, okiki (お聞き) or “listen” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Acts 25:22

For the clause Agrippa said to Festus, the verb said does not appear in the Greek sentence. However, it is not uncommon for Greek to leave out a verb such as “is” or “said” when this can be understood from the context. I … myself may be understood as “I … also,” though the former of these two meanings seems preferred in the present context. Once again the Good News Translation has made explicit the pronominal subject of the verb answered, that is, Festus rather than “he.”

The Greek structure of the expression I would like to hear this man myself leaves open the possibility that it may be understood in the sense of “I have been waiting to hear this man” (Phillips). The Good News Translation renders this verb as have most translators, namely, as an expression of a present wish rather than a wish experienced over a period of time. On the other hand, it may be that Luke is intending to stress the parallel between Agrippa’s desire to hear Paul and Herod’s desire to hear Jesus, as is indicated in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 23.8).

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 25:22

Paragraph 25:22

25:22a–b

I would like to hear this man myself: This clause in Greek is literally “I also was wanting to hear the man myself.” Agrippa had been wanting to hear Paul tell his story for some time. Translate in a way that indicates a polite desire to hear Paul. For example:

I have been wanting to hear this man myself. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
I should like to hear the man myself. (New Jerusalem Bible)

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