complete verse (Acts 25:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 25:27:

  • Uma: “Because I say/think, it is not proper [lit., it is not the way/road] to send a person to the judging-place of Kaisar if the wrong of which he is accused is not made-clear.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because to me,’ he said, ‘it is not right to send a prisoner to the Leader King if the accusation against him is not stated.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because it seems there is not much purpose in it if I send this prisoner to the king and there’s nothing there letting him know what the accusation is against him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because what is in my thoughts, it is useless if a prisoner is turned-over to the Emperor and there is nothing proper that he is-accused-of.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For it’s like it’s pointless if I send a prisoner but don’t send something which explains what he has been accused of.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 25:27

Seems unreasonable to me may be rendered as “does not seem right to me,” “does not seem good to me,” or “does not seem proper to me.”

Without clearly indicating the charges against him translates the Greek expression “not to indicate the charges against him.”

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 25:27

25:27a

For: Here the conjunction For introduces the reason why Festus was investigating this question further.

it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner: This clause in Greek is literally “sending a prisoner seems unreasonable to me.” Sending a prisoner to Caesar without a letter explaining why he sent him would be very unreasonable. For example:

it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner (Good News Translation)

unreasonable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unreasonable refers to something that is contrary to proper thinking. Other ways to translate this word are:

absurd (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
ridiculous (God’s Word)
-or-
foolish (New Century Version)

25:27b

specifying the charges against him: This phrase refers to clearly writing the actual accusations. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

clearly indicating the charges against him (Good News Translation)
-or-
reporting what crimes he is accused of
-or-
stating/saying what the Jews were accusing him of doing

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