Acts 6:9
This is going to be a difficult one, even though the sentence itself is actually quite simple. Most of it is simply listing peoples.
Also, due to its length, I split this verse in twain. Part 1 will cover the heavy grammar, whilst Part 2 will provide more commentary.
Both will include the full verse at the end.
to debate with Stephen = Səsəlkiwa məl sraytakaak
Səsəlkiwa is the Comitative Case Declension of the Proper Noun Səsəlki.
Please read my Newsletter on Acts 6:8 in order to understand how I translated Stephen into Səsəlki.
Four components build məl sraytakaak:
1. məl = a Noun which means eye.
2. sray = [unknown].
3. -taka = a Verb which means put down.
4. -k = the Same Person Purposive Suffix.
You might think that the Verb məl sraytaka means argue. It does not.
məl sraytaka means look with great attention.
The original Greek verb is suzeteo (συζητεω). This means dispute, but this meaning comes from seek together.
It is worth considering that many of those who accused Stephen were probably Pharisees who, on some lever, thought that they were trying to correct one of their wayward brethren.
Stephen served the Spirit of the Law, while the Pharisees served the Word thereof.
To borrow the language of Paul Vanderklay, how many “Crying Game” moments arose from these exchanges?
called the Synagogue of Freedmen = Vævægru Libertiin wada
In Greek, the word is Libertinon (Λιβερτινων), and means of the freed men.
During the Roman occupation of Israel, a number of freed slaves decided to worship the Jewish God. In due course, they built their own temple.
(For those who don’t know, this episode takes place in Jerusalem, not long after the Passion of Christ.)
I kept it in the Latin for a few reasons:
1. I could not find the word for free.
2. In the original context, this synagogue is a result of foreign occupation. To retain this, I have kept the foreign-derived word.
wada is built from three components:
1. wa = a Verb which means say.
2. –da = the 3rd Person Plural Past Tense Subject Suffix.
3. - = the Singular Feminine Suffix.
By itself, wada means they call it.
The known-through-its-absence 3rd Component is the it, referring to the Synagogue.
So why have I made vævægru a Feminine Noun?
In Manambu, Feminine Gender and small size go together.
Compared to native Jewish synagogues, that of the Libertines would have been relatively small.
In addition, because the Romans were in the ascendant, they would have wished to associate with their own Gods, who had given them victory over the peoples of Israel.
On a side note, the Greek sunagoge (συναγωγη) and the Hebrew knesset (כנסת) are both Feminine.
KJB: Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
NJB: Then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia.
Manambu: Ata Səsəlkiwa məl sraytakaak wadi Kurinaadi wadi Aliksandriyaadi wadika Vævægru Vævægru Libertiin wada adi Kilikyaadi adi Asiyaadi rasədi.