Reading Plan 

Bible Reading November 11

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Acts 10:1--12:24

Context
Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea 1  named Cornelius, a centurion 2  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. 3  10:2 He 4  was a devout, God-fearing man, 5  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people 6  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon 7  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God 8  who came in 9  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius 10  replied, 11  “What is it, Lord?” The angel 12  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity 13  have gone up as a memorial 14  before God. 10:5 Now 15  send men to Joppa 16  and summon a man named Simon, 17  who is called Peter. 10:6 This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, 18  whose house is by the sea.” 10:7 When the angel who had spoken to him departed, Cornelius 19  called two of his personal servants 20  and a devout soldier from among those who served him, 21  10:8 and when he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 About noon 22  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching 23  the city, Peter went up on the roof 24  to pray. 10:10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him. 25  10:11 He 26  saw heaven 27  opened 28  and an object something like a large sheet 29  descending, 30  being let down to earth 31  by its four corners. 10:12 In it 32  were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles 33  of the earth and wild birds. 34  10:13 Then 35  a voice said 36  to him, “Get up, Peter; slaughter 37  and eat!” 10:14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!” 38  10:15 The voice 39  spoke to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not consider 40  ritually unclean!” 41  10:16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven. 42 

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over 43  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was 44  and approached 45  the gate. 10:18 They 46  called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, 47  was staying there as a guest. 10:19 While Peter was still thinking seriously about 48  the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 10:20 But get up, 49  go down, and accompany them without hesitation, 50  because I have sent them.” 10:21 So Peter went down 51  to the men and said, “Here I am, 52  the person you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, 53  a righteous 54  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, 55  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message 56  from you.” 10:23 So Peter 57  invited them in and entertained them as guests.

On the next day he got up and set out 58  with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa 59  accompanied him. 10:24 The following day 60  he entered Caesarea. 61  Now Cornelius was waiting anxiously 62  for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 10:25 So when 63  Peter came in, Cornelius met 64  him, fell 65  at his feet, and worshiped 66  him. 10:26 But Peter helped him up, 67  saying, “Stand up. I too am a mere mortal.” 68  10:27 Peter 69  continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together. 70  10:28 He said to them, “You know that 71  it is unlawful 72  for a Jew 73  to associate with or visit a Gentile, 74  yet God has shown me that I should call no person 75  defiled or ritually unclean. 76  10:29 Therefore when you sent for me, 77  I came without any objection. Now may I ask why 78  you sent for me?” 10:30 Cornelius 79  replied, 80  “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, 81  I was praying in my house, and suddenly 82  a man in shining clothing stood before me 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity 83  have been remembered before God. 84  10:32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, 85  by the sea.’ 10:33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. 86  So now we are all here in the presence of God 87  to listen 88  to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us.” 89 

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: 90  “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, 91  10:35 but in every nation 92  the person who fears him 93  and does what is right 94  is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know 95  the message 96  he sent to the people 97  of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace 98  through 99  Jesus Christ 100  (he is Lord 101  of all) – 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 102  10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, 103  that 104  God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He 105  went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, 106  because God was with him. 107  10:39 We 108  are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea 109  and in Jerusalem. 110  They 111  killed him by hanging him on a tree, 112  10:40 but 113  God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, 114  10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, 115  who ate and drank 116  with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He 117  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn 118  them 119  that he is the one 120  appointed 121  by God as judge 122  of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, 123  that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins 124  through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on 125  all those who heard the message. 126  10:45 The 127  circumcised believers 128  who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished 129  that 130  the gift of the Holy Spirit 131  had been poured out 132  even on the Gentiles, 10:46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising 133  God. Then Peter said, 10:47 “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, 134  can he?” 135  10:48 So he gave orders to have them baptized 136  in the name of Jesus Christ. 137  Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter Defends His Actions to the Jerusalem Church

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted 138  the word of God. 139  11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, 140  the circumcised believers 141  took issue with 142  him, 11:3 saying, “You went to 143  uncircumcised men and shared a meal with 144  them.” 11:4 But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, 145  saying, 11:5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, 146  an object something like a large sheet descending, 147  being let down from heaven 148  by its four corners, and it came to me. 11:6 As I stared 149  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, 150  and wild birds. 151  11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; slaughter 152  and eat!’ 11:8 But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean 153  has ever entered my mouth!’ 11:9 But the voice replied a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not consider 154  ritually unclean!’ 11:10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up to heaven again. 11:11 At that very moment, 155  three men sent to me from Caesarea 156  approached 157  the house where we were staying. 158  11:12 The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers 159  also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 11:13 He informed us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, 11:14 who will speak a message 160  to you by which you and your entire household will be saved.’ 11:15 Then as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on 161  them just as he did 162  on us at the beginning. 163  11:16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, 164  as he used to say, 165  ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 166  11:17 Therefore if God 167  gave them the same gift 168  as he also gave us after believing 169  in the Lord Jesus Christ, 170  who was I to hinder 171  God?” 11:18 When they heard this, 172  they ceased their objections 173  and praised 174  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance 175  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” 176 

Activity in the Church at Antioch

11:19 Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen 177  went as far as 178  Phoenicia, 179  Cyprus, 180  and Antioch, 181  speaking the message 182  to no one but Jews. 11:20 But there were some men from Cyprus 183  and Cyrene 184  among them who came 185  to Antioch 186  and began to speak to the Greeks 187  too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. 11:21 The 188  hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed 189  turned 190  to the Lord. 11:22 A report 191  about them came to the attention 192  of the church in Jerusalem, 193  and they sent Barnabas 194  to Antioch. 195  11:23 When 196  he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true 197  to the Lord with devoted hearts, 198  11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a significant number of people 199  were brought to the Lord. 11:25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to look for Saul, 11:26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. 200  So 201  for a whole year Barnabas and Saul 202  met with the church and taught a significant number of people. 203  Now it was in Antioch 204  that the disciples were first called Christians. 205 

Famine Relief for Judea

11:27 At that time 206  some 207  prophets 208  came down 209  from Jerusalem 210  to Antioch. 211  11:28 One of them, named Agabus, got up 212  and predicted 213  by the Spirit that a severe 214  famine 215  was about to come over the whole inhabited world. 216  (This 217  took place during the reign of Claudius.) 218  11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, 219  decided 220  to send relief 221  to the brothers living in Judea. 11:30 They did so, 222  sending their financial aid 223  to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

James is Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time King Herod 224  laid hands on 225  some from the church to harm them. 226  12:2 He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. 227  12:3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, 228  he proceeded to arrest Peter too. (This took place during the feast of Unleavened Bread.) 229  12:4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads 230  of soldiers to guard him. Herod 231  planned 232  to bring him out for public trial 233  after the Passover. 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly 234  praying to God for him. 235  12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, 236  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while 237  guards in front of the door were keeping watch 238  over the prison. 12:7 Suddenly 239  an angel of the Lord 240  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck 241  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s 242  wrists. 243  12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt 244  and put on your sandals.” Peter 245  did so. Then the angel 246  said to him, “Put on your cloak 247  and follow me.” 12:9 Peter 248  went out 249  and followed him; 250  he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, 251  but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, 252  they came to the iron 253  gate leading into the city. It 254  opened for them by itself, 255  and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, 256  when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When 257  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued 258  me from the hand 259  of Herod 260  and from everything the Jewish people 261  were expecting to happen.”

12:12 When Peter 262  realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, 263  where many people had gathered together and were praying. 12:13 When he knocked at the door of the outer gate, a slave girl named Rhoda answered. 264  12:14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told 265  them 266  that Peter was standing at the gate. 12:15 But they said to her, “You’ve lost your mind!” 267  But she kept insisting that it was Peter, 268  and they kept saying, 269  “It is his angel!” 270  12:16 Now Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the door 271  and saw him, they were greatly astonished. 272  12:17 He motioned to them 273  with his hand to be quiet and then related 274  how the Lord had brought 275  him out of the prison. He said, “Tell James and the brothers these things,” and then he left and went to another place. 276 

12:18 At daybreak 277  there was great consternation 278  among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 12:19 When Herod 279  had searched 280  for him and did not find him, he questioned 281  the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. 282  Then 283  Herod 284  went down from Judea to Caesarea 285  and stayed there.

12:20 Now Herod 286  was having an angry quarrel 287  with the people of Tyre 288  and Sidon. 289  So they joined together 290  and presented themselves before him. And after convincing 291  Blastus, the king’s personal assistant, 292  to help them, 293  they asked for peace, 294  because their country’s food supply was provided by the king’s country. 12:21 On a day determined in advance, Herod 295  put on his royal robes, 296  sat down on the judgment seat, 297  and made a speech 298  to them. 12:22 But the crowd 299  began to shout, 300  “The voice of a god, 301  and not of a man!” 12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord 302  struck 303  Herod 304  down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. 305  12:24 But the word of God 306  kept on increasing 307  and multiplying.

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[10:1]  1 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  2 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  3 sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  4 tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  5 sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  6 tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  7 tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  8 tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  9 tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  11 tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  12 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  13 tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  14 sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:5]  15 tn Grk “And now.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:5]  16 sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.

[10:5]  17 tn Grk “a certain Simon.”

[10:6]  18 tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname. See also MM 118.

[10:7]  19 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  20 tn Or “domestic servants.” The Greek word here is οἰκέτης (oiketh"), which technically refers to a member of the household, but usually means a household servant (slave) or personal servant rather than a field laborer.

[10:7]  21 tn The meaning of the genitive participle προσκαρτερούντων (proskarterountwn) could either be “a soldier from the ranks of those who served him” (referring to his entire command) or “a soldier from among his personal staff” (referring to a group of soldiers who were his personal attendants). The translation “from among those who served him” is general enough to cover either possibility.

[10:9]  22 tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  23 tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  24 sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.

[10:10]  25 tn The traditional translation, “he fell into a trance,” is somewhat idiomatic; it is based on the textual variant ἐπέπεσεν (epepesen, “he fell”) found in the Byzantine text but almost certainly not original.

[10:11]  26 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[10:11]  27 tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:11]  28 tn On the heavens “opening,” see Matt 3:16; Luke 3:21; Rev 19:11 (cf. BDAG 84 s.v. ἀνοίγω 2). This is the language of a vision or a revelatory act of God.

[10:11]  29 tn Or “a large linen cloth” (the term was used for the sail of a ship; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνη).

[10:11]  30 tn Or “coming down.”

[10:11]  31 tn Or “to the ground.”

[10:12]  32 tn Grk “in which.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[10:12]  33 tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate. See also Gen 6:20, as well as the law making such creatures unclean food in Lev 11:2-47.

[10:12]  34 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[10:13]  35 tn Grk “And there came.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[10:13]  36 tn Grk “a voice to him”; the word “said” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[10:13]  37 tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[10:14]  38 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqarto") here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:15]  39 tn Grk “And the voice.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:15]  40 tn Or “declare.”

[10:15]  41 sn For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23; Rom 14:14; Eph 2:11-22. God directed this change in practice.

[10:16]  42 tn Or “into the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[10:17]  43 tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  44 tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  45 tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[10:18]  46 tn Grk “and.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun by supplying the pronoun “they” as the subject of the following verb.

[10:18]  47 tn Grk “Simon, the one called Peter.” This qualification was necessary because the owner of the house was also named Simon (Acts 9:43).

[10:19]  48 tn The translation “think seriously about” for διενθυμέομαι (dienqumeomai) is given in L&N 30.2. Peter was “pondering” the vision (BDAG 244 s.v.).

[10:20]  49 tn Grk “But getting up, go down.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:20]  50 tn The term means “without doubting” or “without deliberation.” It is a term of conscience and discernment. In effect, Peter is to listen to them rather than hesitate (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 6).

[10:21]  51 tn Grk “Peter going down to the men, said.” The participle καταβάς (katabas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:21]  52 tn Grk “Behold, it is I whom you seek,” or “Behold, I am the one you seek.” “Here I am” is used to translate ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι (idou egw eimi).

[10:22]  53 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  54 tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  55 tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.

[10:22]  56 tn Grk “hear words.”

[10:23]  57 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:23]  58 tn Or “went forth.”

[10:23]  59 sn Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.

[10:24]  60 tn Grk “On the next day,” but since this phrase has already occurred in v. 23, it would be redundant in English to use it again here.

[10:24]  61 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi).

[10:24]  62 tn Normally προσδοκάω (prosdokaw) means “to wait with apprehension or anxiety for something,” often with the implication of impending danger or trouble (L&N 25.228), but in this context the anxiety Cornelius would have felt came from the importance of the forthcoming message as announced by the angel.

[10:25]  63 tn Grk “So it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[10:25]  64 tn Grk “meeting him.” The participle συναντήσας (sunanthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  65 tn Grk “falling at his feet, worshiped.” The participle πεσών (peswn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:25]  66 sn When Cornelius worshiped Peter, it showed his piety and his respect for Peter, but it was an act based on ignorance, as Peter’s remark in v. 26 indicates.

[10:26]  67 tn BDAG 271 s.v. ἐγείρω 3 has “raise, help to rise….Stretched out Ac 10:26.”

[10:26]  68 tn Although it is certainly true that Peter was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") has been translated as “mere mortal” because the emphasis in context is not on Peter’s maleness, but his humanity. Contrary to what Cornelius thought, Peter was not a god or an angelic being, but a mere mortal.

[10:27]  69 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:27]  70 tn Or “many people assembled.”

[10:28]  71 tn Here ὡς (Jws) is used like ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect discourse (cf. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5).

[10:28]  72 tn This term is used of wanton or callously lawless acts (BDAG 24 s.v. ἀθέμιτος).

[10:28]  73 tn Grk “a Jewish man” (ἀνδρὶ ᾿Ιουδαίῳ, andri Ioudaiw).

[10:28]  74 tn Grk “a foreigner,” but in this context, “a non-Jew,” that is, a Gentile. This term speaks of intimate association (BDAG 556 s.v. κολλάω 2.b.α). On this Jewish view, see John 18:28, where a visit to a Gentile residence makes a Jewish person unclean.

[10:28]  75 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[10:28]  76 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts.

[10:29]  77 tn Grk “Therefore when I was sent for.” The passive participle μεταπεμφθείς (metapemfqei") has been taken temporally and converted to an active construction which is less awkward in English.

[10:29]  78 tn Grk “ask for what reason.”

[10:30]  79 tn Grk “And Cornelius.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:30]  80 tn Grk “said.”

[10:30]  81 tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” Again, this is the hour of afternoon prayer.

[10:30]  82 tn Grk “and behold.” The interjection ἰδού (idou) is difficult at times to translate into English. Here it has been translated as “suddenly” to convey the force of Cornelius’ account of the angel’s appearance.

[10:31]  83 tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:31]  84 sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.

[10:32]  85 tn Or “with a certain Simon Berseus.” Although most modern English translations treat βυρσεῖ (bursei) as Simon’s profession (“Simon the tanner”), it is possible that the word is actually Simon’s surname (“Simon Berseus” or “Simon Tanner”). BDAG 185 s.v. βυρσεύς regards it as a surname.

[10:33]  86 tn Grk “you have done well by coming.” The idiom καλῶς ποιεῖν (kalw" poiein) is translated “be kind enough to do someth.” by BDAG 505-6 s.v. καλῶς 4.a. The participle παραγενόμενος (paragenomeno") has been translated as an English infinitive due to the nature of the English idiom (“kind enough to” + infinitive).

[10:33]  87 tn The translation “we are here in the presence of God” for ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ πάρεσμεν (enwpion tou qeou paresmen) is given by BDAG 773 s.v. πάρειμι 1.a.

[10:33]  88 tn Or “to hear everything.”

[10:33]  89 tn The words “to say to us” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Cornelius knows Peter is God’s representative, bringing God’s message.

[10:34]  90 tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:34]  91 tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.

[10:35]  92 sn See Luke 24:47.

[10:35]  93 tn Or “shows reverence for him.”

[10:35]  94 tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.

[10:36]  95 tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.

[10:36]  96 tn Grk “the word.”

[10:36]  97 tn Grk “to the sons.”

[10:36]  98 sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.

[10:36]  99 tn Or “by.”

[10:36]  100 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:36]  101 sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.

[10:37]  102 tn Or “proclaimed.”

[10:38]  103 sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.

[10:38]  104 tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (Jws) as an equivalent to ὅτι (Joti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.

[10:38]  105 tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:38]  106 tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.

[10:38]  107 sn See Acts 7:9.

[10:39]  108 tn Grk “And we.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:39]  109 tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).

[10:39]  110 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:39]  111 tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[10:39]  112 tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.

[10:40]  113 tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.

[10:40]  114 tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.

[10:41]  115 tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.

[10:41]  116 sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.

[10:42]  117 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:42]  118 tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.

[10:42]  119 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[10:42]  120 tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”

[10:42]  121 tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.

[10:42]  122 sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.

[10:43]  123 tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.

[10:43]  124 sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.

[10:44]  125 tn Or “came down on.” God now acted to confirm the point of Peter’s speech.

[10:44]  126 tn Or “word.”

[10:45]  127 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[10:45]  128 tn Or “The Jewish Christians”; Grk “The believers from the circumcision.”

[10:45]  129 sn The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.

[10:45]  130 tn Or “because.”

[10:45]  131 tn That is, the gift consisting of the Holy Spirit. Here τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Spirit.

[10:45]  132 sn The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Compare the account in Acts 2, especially 2:33. Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18.

[10:46]  133 tn Or “extolling,” “magnifying.”

[10:47]  134 tn Grk “just as also we.” The auxiliary verb in English must be supplied. This could be either “have” (NIV, NRSV) or “did” (NASB). “Did” is preferred here because the comparison Peter is making concerns not just the fact of the present possession of the Spirit (“they received the Spirit we now possess”), but the manner in which the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house received the Spirit (“they received the Spirit in the same manner we did [on the day of Pentecost]”).

[10:47]  135 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “can he?” The question is rhetorical. Peter was saying these Gentiles should be baptized since God had confirmed they were his.

[10:48]  136 tn The Greek construction (passive infinitive with accusative subject) could be translated either “he ordered them to be baptized” or “he ordered that they be baptized,” but the implication in English in either case is that Peter was giving orders to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, telling them to get baptized. It is much more likely in the context that Peter was ordering those Jewish Christians who accompanied him to baptize the new Gentile converts. They would doubtless have still had misgivings even after witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit and hearing the tongues. It took Peter’s apostolic authority (“ordered”) to convince them to perform the baptisms.

[10:48]  137 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Jesus’ right to judge as the provider of forgiveness is highlighted here.

[11:1]  138 tn See BDAG 221 s.v. δέχομαι 5 for this translation of ἐδέξαντο (edexanto) here.

[11:1]  139 tn Here the phrase “word of God” is another way to describe the gospel (note the preceding verb ἐδέξαντο, edexanto, “accepted”). The phrase could also be translated “the word [message] from God.”

[11:2]  140 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  141 tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  142 tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[11:3]  143 tn Or “You were a guest in the home of” (according to L&N 23.12).

[11:3]  144 tn Or “and ate with.” It was table fellowship and the possibility of eating unclean food that disturbed them.

[11:4]  145 tn Or “to them in logical sequence,” “to them in order.” BDAG 490 s.v. καθεξῆς has “explain to someone point by point” for this phrase. This is the same term used in Luke 1:3.

[11:5]  146 tn This term describes a supernatural vision and reflects a clear distinction from something imagined (BDAG 718 s.v. ὅραμα 1). Peter repeated the story virtually word for word through v. 13. The repetition with this degree of detail shows the event’s importance.

[11:5]  147 tn Or “coming down.”

[11:5]  148 tn Or “the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[11:6]  149 tn Grk “Staring I looked into it.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:6]  150 tn Or “snakes.” Grk “creeping things.” According to L&N 4.51, in most biblical contexts the term (due to the influence of Hebrew classifications such as Gen 1:25-26, 30) included small four-footed animals like rats, mice, frogs, toads, salamanders, and lizards. In this context, however, where “creeping things” are contrasted with “four-footed animals,” the English word “reptiles,” which primarily but not exclusively designates snakes, is probably more appropriate.

[11:6]  151 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[11:7]  152 tn Or “kill.” Traditionally θῦσον (quson) is translated “kill,” but in the case of animals intended for food, “slaughter” is more appropriate.

[11:8]  153 tn Possibly there is a subtle distinction in meaning between κοινός (koinos) and ἀκάθαρτος (akaqartos) here, but according to L&N 53.39 it is difficult to determine precise differences in meaning based on existing contexts. The sentiment Peter expressed is like Ezek 4:14.

[11:9]  154 tn Or “declare.” The wording matches Acts 10:15.

[11:11]  155 tn Grk “And behold.”

[11:11]  156 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[11:11]  157 tn See BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 for this meaning for ἐπέστησαν (epesthsan) here.

[11:11]  158 tn The word “staying” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[11:12]  159 sn Six witnesses is three times more than what would normally be required. They could confirm the events were not misrepresented by Peter.

[11:14]  160 tn Grk “words” (ῥήματα, rJhmata), but in this context the overall message is meant rather than the individual words.

[11:15]  161 tn Or “came down on.”

[11:15]  162 tn The words “he did” are not in the Greek text but are implied. They form an ellipsis which must be supplied for the modern English reader. Some modern translations supply “it” rather than “he” because the gender of πνεῦμα (pneuma) in Greek is neuter, but there are sufficient NT contexts that use masculine pronouns to refer to the Spirit to justify the use of a masculine pronoun here in the translation.

[11:15]  163 sn At the beginning is an allusion to Acts 2 and Pentecost. The beginning is a way to refer to the start of the period of the realization of Jesus’ promise in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. Peter was arguing that God gave Gentiles the same benefits he gave the Jews at the start of their mission.

[11:16]  164 sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; here and in Luke 22:61, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[11:16]  165 tn The imperfect verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) is taken as a customary imperfect.

[11:16]  166 sn John…Spirit. This remark repeats Acts 1:5.

[11:17]  167 tc Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.

[11:17]  168 sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  169 tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edwken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.

[11:17]  170 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  171 tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.

[11:18]  172 tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  173 tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  174 tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  175 sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  176 sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[11:19]  177 sn The phrase over Stephen means in connection with Stephen’s death. See Acts 8:1b-3.

[11:19]  178 tn Or “finally reached.” The translations “went as far as” and “finally reached” for διῆλθον (dihlqon) in this verse are given in L&N 15.17.

[11:19]  179 sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine.

[11:19]  180 tn Grk “and Cyprus,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[11:19]  181 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). This was probably the third largest city in the Greco-Roman world (Alexandria in Egypt was the second largest, and Rome the largest) and was the seat of government in Syria. Five miles away was a major temple to Artemis, Apollo, and Astarte, major pagan deities.

[11:19]  182 tn Grk “word.”

[11:20]  183 sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.

[11:20]  184 sn Cyrene was a city on the northern African coast west of Egypt.

[11:20]  185 tn Grk “among them, coming to Antioch began to speak.” The participle ἐλθόντες (elqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:20]  186 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:20]  187 sn The statement that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene…began to speak to the Greeks shows that Peter’s experience of reaching out to the Gentiles was not unique.

[11:21]  188 tn Grk “And the.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[11:21]  189 tn The participle πιστεύσας (pisteusa") is articular and thus cannot be adverbial. It is adjectival, modifying ἀριθμός (ariqmo"), but has been translated into English as a relative clause (“who believed”).

[11:21]  190 sn Again, the expression turned is a summary term for responding to the gospel.

[11:22]  191 tn Grk “Word.”

[11:22]  192 tn Grk “was heard in the ears,” an idiom. L&N 24.67 states that the idiom means “to hear in secret” (which it certainly does in Matt 10:27), but secrecy does not seem to be part of the context here, and there is no particular reason to suggest the report was made in secret.

[11:22]  193 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:22]  194 tc ‡ Most mss read the infinitive “to travel” after “Barnabas.” διελθεῖν (dielqein) is found before ἕως (Jews) in D E Ψ 33 Ï and some versional mss. It is lacking in Ì74 א A B 81 1739 pc and some versional mss. Although the infinitive with ἕως fits Lukan style, it has the appearance of a scribal clarification. The infinitive has the earmarks of a Western expansion on the text and thus is unlikely to be original. NA27 has the infinitive in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.

[11:22]  195 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19. Again the Jerusalem church exercised an oversight role.

[11:23]  196 tn Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:23]  197 tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.

[11:23]  198 tn Grk “with purpose of heart”; BDAG 869 s.v. πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.

[11:24]  199 tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  200 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  201 tn Grk “So it happened that” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[11:26]  202 tn Grk “year they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:26]  203 tn Grk “a significant crowd.”

[11:26]  204 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:26]  205 sn The term Christians appears only here, in Acts 26:28, and 1 Pet 4:16 in the NT.

[11:27]  206 tn Grk “In these days,” but the dative generally indicates a specific time.

[11:27]  207 tn The word “some” is not in the Greek text, but is usually used in English when an unspecified number is mentioned.

[11:27]  208 sn Prophets are mentioned only here and in 13:1 and 21:10 in Acts.

[11:27]  209 sn Came down from Jerusalem. Antioch in Syria lies due north of Jerusalem. In Western languages it is common to speak of north as “up” and south as “down,” but the NT maintains the Hebrew idiom which speaks of any direction away from Jerusalem as down (since Mount Zion was thought of in terms of altitude).

[11:27]  210 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:27]  211 sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia). See the note in 11:19.

[11:28]  212 tn Grk “getting up, predicted.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[11:28]  213 tn Or “made clear”; Grk “indicated beforehand” (BDAG 920 s.v. σημαίνω 2).

[11:28]  214 tn Grk “great.”

[11:28]  215 sn This famine is one of the firmly fixed dates in Acts. It took place from a.d. 45-48. The events described in chap. 11 of Acts occurred during the early part of that period.

[11:28]  216 tn Or “whole Roman Empire.” While the word οἰκουμένη (oikoumenh) does occasionally refer specifically to the Roman Empire, BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουνένη 2 does not list this passage (only Acts 24:5 and 17:6).

[11:28]  217 tn Grk “world, which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “this” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:28]  218 sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Claudius was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54.

[11:29]  219 tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

[11:29]  220 tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

[11:29]  221 tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.

[11:30]  222 tn Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:30]  223 tn The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:1]  224 sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great). His mediocre career is summarized in Josephus, Ant. 18-19. This event took place in a.d. 42 or 43.

[12:1]  225 tn Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”

[12:1]  226 tn Or “to cause them injury.”

[12:2]  227 sn The expression executed with a sword probably refers to a beheading. James was the first known apostolic martyr (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 2.9.1-3). On James, not the Lord’s brother, see Luke 5:10; 6:14. This death ended a short period of peace noted in Acts 9:31 after the persecution mentioned in 8:1-3.

[12:3]  228 tn This could be a reference to the Jewish people (so CEV) or to the Jewish leaders (so NLT). The statement in v. 4 that Herod intended to bring Peter “out to the people” (i.e., for a public trial) may suggest the former is somewhat more likely.

[12:3]  229 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[12:4]  230 sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

[12:4]  231 tn Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomeno") and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).

[12:4]  232 tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

[12:4]  233 tn Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”

[12:5]  234 tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  235 tn Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.

[12:6]  236 tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.

[12:6]  237 tn Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.

[12:6]  238 tn Or “were guarding.”

[12:7]  239 tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.

[12:7]  240 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  241 tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:7]  242 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  243 tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[12:8]  244 tn While ζώννυμι (zwnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.

[12:8]  245 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  246 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  247 tn Or “outer garment.”

[12:9]  248 tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

[12:9]  249 tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:9]  250 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:9]  251 tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

[12:10]  252 tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

[12:10]  253 sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).

[12:10]  254 tn Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[12:10]  255 tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

[12:10]  256 tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

[12:11]  257 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[12:11]  258 tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  259 sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  260 sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  261 sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[12:12]  262 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:12]  263 tn Grk “John who was also called Mark.”

[12:13]  264 tn Or “responded.”

[12:14]  265 tn Or “informed.”

[12:14]  266 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:15]  267 sn “You’ve lost your mind!” Such a response to the miraculous is not unusual in Luke-Acts. See Luke 24:11; Acts 26:25. The term μαίνομαι (mainomai) can have the idea of being “raving mad” or “totally irrational” (BDAG 610 s.v.). It is a strong expression.

[12:15]  268 tn Grk “she kept insisting that the situation was thus” (cf. BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a). Most translations supply a less awkward English phrase like “it was so”; the force of her insistence, however, is that “it was Peter,” which was the point under dispute.

[12:15]  269 tn The two imperfect tense verbs, διϊσχυρίζετο (diiscurizeto) and ἔλεγον (elegon), are both taken iteratively. The picture is thus virtually a shouting match between Rhoda and the rest of the believers.

[12:15]  270 sn The assumption made by those inside, “It is his angel,” seems to allude to the idea of an attending angel (cf. Gen 48:16 LXX; Matt 18:10; Test. Jacob 1:10).

[12:16]  271 tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (see Acts 12:13).

[12:16]  272 sn That they were greatly astonished is a common response in Luke-Acts to God’s work (Luke 8:56; Acts 2:7, 12; 8:13; 9:21; 10:45).

[12:17]  273 tn Or “He gave them a signal.” Grk “Giving them a signal…he related to them.” The participle κατασείσας (kataseisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:17]  274 tc ‡ Most mss, including some of the most important ones (B D E Ψ Ï sy), read αὐτοῖς (autoi", “to them”) here, while some excellent and early witnesses (Ì45vid,74vid א A 33 81 945 1739 pc) lack the pronoun. Although it is possible that the pronoun was deleted because it was seen as superfluous, it is also possible that it was added as a natural expansion on the text, strengthening the connection between Peter and his listeners. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading is slightly preferred. NA27 puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[12:17]  275 tn Or “led.”

[12:17]  276 sn He…went to another place. This is Peter’s last appearance in Acts with the exception of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15.

[12:18]  277 tn BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a has “day is breaking” for ἡμέρα γίνεται (Jhmera ginetai) in this verse.

[12:18]  278 tn Grk “no little consternation.” The translation given for τάραχος (taraco") in this verse by BDAG 991 s.v. τάραχος 1 is “mental agitation.” The situation indicated by the Greek word is described in L&N 25.243 as “a state of acute distress and great anxiety, with the additional possible implications of dismay and confusion – ‘great distress, extreme anxiety.’” The English word “consternation” is preferred here because it conveys precisely such a situation of anxiety mixed with fear. The reason for this anxiety is explained in the following verse.

[12:19]  279 sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:19]  280 tn Or “had instigated a search” (Herod would have ordered the search rather than conducting it himself).

[12:19]  281 tn “Questioned” is used to translate ἀνακρίνας (anakrina") here because a possible translation offered by BDAG 66 s.v. ἀνακρίνω for this verse is “examined,” which could be understood to mean Herod inspected the guards rather than questioned them. The translation used by the NIV, “cross-examined,” also avoids this possible misunderstanding.

[12:19]  282 tn The meaning “led away to execution” for ἀπαχθῆναι (apacqhnai) in this verse is given by BDAG 95 s.v. ἀπάγω 2.c. Although an explicit reference to execution is lacking here, it is what would usually occur in such a case (Acts 16:27; 27:42; Code of Justinian 9.4.4). “Led away to torture” is a less likely option (Pliny the Younger, Letters 10, 96, 8).

[12:19]  283 tn Grk “and,” but the sequence of events is better expressed in English by “then.” A new sentence is begun in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek, which exceeds normal English sentence length.

[12:19]  284 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Since Herod has been the subject of the preceding material, and the circumstances of his death are the subject of the following verses (20-23), it is best to understand Herod as the subject here. This is especially true since according to Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 [19.343-352], Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44, and vv. 20-23 here describe his death. Thus the end of v. 19 provides Luke’s transition to explain how Herod got from Jerusalem to Caesarea where he died. In spite of all this evidence, the NRSV translates this phrase “Then Peter went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there,” understanding the referent to be Peter rather than Herod Agrippa I.

[12:19]  285 sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). See the note on Caesarea in Acts 10:1.

[12:20]  286 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:20]  287 tn Or “was extremely angry.” L&N 33.453 gives the meaning “be angry and quarrel, quarrel angrily” here. However, in L&N 88.180 the alternative “to be violently angry, to be furious” is given. The term is used only once in the NT (BDAG 461 s.v. θυμομαχέω).

[12:20]  288 sn Tyre was a city and seaport on the coast of Phoenicia.

[12:20]  289 sn Sidon was an ancient Phoenician royal city on the coast between Berytus (Beirut) and Tyre (BDAG 923 s.v. Σιδών).

[12:20]  290 tn Or “with one accord.”

[12:20]  291 tn Or “persuading.”

[12:20]  292 tn On the term translated “personal assistant” BDAG 554 s.v. κοιτῶν states, “used as part of a title: ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος the one in charge of the bed-chamber, the chamberlain.” This individual was not just a domestic servant or butler, but a highly respected person who had considerable responsibility for the king’s living quarters and personal affairs. The English word “chamberlain” corresponds very closely to this meaning but is not in common use today. The term “personal assistant,” while it might convey more business associations than management of personal affairs, nevertheless communicates the concept well in contemporary English.

[12:20]  293 tn The words “to help them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:20]  294 tn Or “for a reconciliation.” There were grave political risks in having Herod angry at them. The detail shows the ruler’s power.

[12:21]  295 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:21]  296 tn Or “apparel.” On Herod’s robes see Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.344), summarized in the note at the end of v. 23.

[12:21]  297 tn Although BDAG 175 s.v. βῆμα 3 gives the meaning “speakers platform” for this verse, and a number of modern translations use similar terms (“rostrum,” NASB; “platform,” NRSV), since the bema was a standard feature in Greco-Roman cities of the time, there is no need for an alternative translation here.

[12:21]  298 tn Or “delivered a public address.”

[12:22]  299 tn The translation “crowd” is given by BDAG 223 s.v. δῆμος; the word often means a gathering of citizens to conduct public business. Here it is simply the group of people gathered to hear the king’s speech.

[12:22]  300 tn The imperfect verb ἐπεφώνει (epefwnei) is taken ingressively in the sequence of events. Presumably the king had started his speech when the crowd began shouting.

[12:22]  301 sn The voice of a god. Contrast the response of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:13-15.

[12:23]  302 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:23]  303 sn On being struck…down by an angel, see Acts 23:3; 1 Sam 25:28; 2 Sam 12:15; 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 13:20; 2 Macc 9:5.

[12:23]  304 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:23]  305 sn He was eaten by worms and died. Josephus, Ant. 19.8.2 (19.343-352), states that Herod Agrippa I died at Caesarea in a.d. 44. The account by Josephus, while not identical to Luke’s account, is similar in many respects: On the second day of a festival, Herod Agrippa appeared in the theater with a robe made of silver. When it sparkled in the sun, the people cried out flatteries and declared him to be a god. The king, carried away by the flattery, saw an owl (an omen of death) sitting on a nearby rope, and immediately was struck with severe stomach pains. He was carried off to his house and died five days later. The two accounts can be reconciled without difficulty, since while Luke states that Herod was immediately struck down by an angel, his death could have come several days later. The mention of worms with death adds a humiliating note to the scene. The formerly powerful ruler had been thoroughly reduced to nothing (cf. Jdt 16:17; 2 Macc 9:9; cf. also Josephus, Ant. 17.6.5 [17.168-170], which details the sickness which led to Herod the Great’s death).

[12:24]  306 sn A metonymy for the number of adherents to God’s word.

[12:24]  307 tn Or “spreading.”



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