inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Acts 28:1)

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 exclusive form (only including the people on the ship).

Source: SIL International Translation Department (1999).

complete verse (Acts 28:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:1:

  • Uma: “When we were all on land, only then did we know that that island was named Malta.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When we (excl.) reached the shore, somebody told us (excl.) that the name of that island was Malta.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “When we landed we learned that the name of that island was Malta.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When we (excl.) arrived at its edge, that’s when-we (excl.) -found-out that Malta was the name of the place where-we (excl.) -had-arrived.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When we had come ashore, we found out that the name of that island was apparently Malta.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

survive / escape / save

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “survive,” “escape,” “save,” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) in these verses with pulumuka, describing someone whose life was in danger but who has freed himself or herself. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:1

Malta is a Mediterranean island, in a straight line about 150 miles southwest from the “toe” of Italy.

When we were safely ashore appears in most translations as something like “after we had escaped” (see 27.43 and 28.4 for the same verb). The clause when we were safely ashore may be rendered as “when we had reached the shore and were safe” or “when we had escaped by reaching the shore.”

No doubt those who had escaped safely to shore learned the name of the island from the local people. Certainly there would have been no signs to identify the place. Since in some languages there are very distinct terms for learning, depending upon whether one reads something or hears it from someone else, it may be necessary to say “we learned from the people who lived there.”

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 28:1

Section 28:1–10

Paul and the others stayed on Malta

In this section, someone from the island told the people from the ship that they were on Malta. The people of the island welcomed them. A deadly snake bit Paul but he did not die. Since he did not die, the people from the island thought he was a god.

Publius welcomed Paul, Luke, the centurion, and perhaps others into his home and had them stay. Paul healed the father of Publius by the power of God. Many people of the island heard this news. They brought all their sick people, and Paul miraculously healed them.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

Paul on the Island of Malta (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
We waited on Malta

Paragraph 28:1–6

28:1a

Once we were safely ashore: The Greek word here is literally “having been brought safely through.” God protected all of them from any danger as they swam or floated to shore while the storm was blowing. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

Once we had come safely through (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
After ⌊God⌋ had brought us all safely to shore
-or-
When we were safely ashore (Good News Translation)

28:1b

we: Here, the word we refers to all the people on the ship.

learned that the island was called Malta: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as learned usually means “recognize” or “learn.” Perhaps sailors finally recognized where they were now that they were on the shore. Ashore they could see more of the land than they could when on the ship. Or perhaps the people of the island told them they were on Malta so they learned the name of the island in that way. Other ways to translate this clause are:

found out that the island was called Malta (New International Version)
-or-
identified the island as Malta (Revised English Bible)
-or-
discovered that the island was called Malta (New Jerusalem Bible)

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Sung version of Acts 28

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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