Revisiting Translation and Interpretation Issues in the Story of the African Royal Official (“Ethiopian Eunuch”) in Acts 8:26–40

Abstract

This article investigates the OT/Hebrew Bible background of both the designation Ethiopia and the translation and interpretation of εὐνοῦχος, and designation of “Ethiopian” in Acts 8:26-40. The jumping point is Prof Adamo’s own brief chapter that engages the issue. Going further than Adam’s brief article does, the argument seeks to establish the royal background of the Ethiopian official and challenges the use of the term ‘eunuch’ in translation, as it tends to misrepresent the identity of the official. https://doi.org/10.17159/2312-3621/2021/v34n2a10

Keywords

• Eunuch
• Ethiopia
• Meroe
• Kandak'a
• Royal
• African Jew