complete verse (Acts 28:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:5:

  • Uma: “But Paulus did not feel the least bit sick/pain. He just shook off the snake into the fire.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But Paul just shook the snake off into the fire and it did not harm/effect him.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, Paul just shook that snake off and it fell in the fire, and he was not harmed by the snake.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But Pablo, he immediately-shook-off the snake into the fire, and nothing happened to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But Pablo shook that snake off into the fire. Nothing happened to him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:5

The Good News Translation has made it explicit that Paul (Greek “he”) is the subject of the verb shook. In Greek there is a very evident contrast between the subject of this sentence and the subject of the following sentence, “he shook … they were waiting.”

The final phrase, without being harmed at all, may be translated as “and he did not suffer anything” or “and the snake did not cause him harm.”

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 28:5

28:5

Paul shook the creature off into the fire: The snake’s fangs pierced Paul’s hand, so he needed to shake it loose. For example:

Paul shook the snake loose so that it fell into the fire

creature: The Greek word is literally “animal” as in 28:4a. You may want to translate the Greek word in the same way as you did in 28:4a, or call it “snake” here as the New International Version does.

and suffered no ill effects: The snake was poisonous, but God prevented its venom from harming Paul. Other ways to translate this clause are:

without being harmed at all (Good News Translation)
-or-
and was not hurt (New Century Version)

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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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