Luke 24:48-49

24:48 You are witnesses ¹  of these things. 24:49 And look, I am sending you ²  what my Father promised. ³  But stay in the city ⁴  until you have been clothed with power ⁵  from on high.”

¹ sn You are witnesses. This becomes a key concept of testimony in Acts. See Acts 1:8.

² tn Grk “sending on you.”

³ tn Grk “the promise of my Father,” with τοῦ πατρός (tou patros) translated as a subjective genitive. This is a reference to the Holy Spirit and looks back to how one could see Messiah had come with the promise of old (Luke 3:15-18). The promise is rooted in Jer 31:31 and Ezek 36:26.

⁴ sn The city refers to Jerusalem.

⁵ sn Until you have been clothed with power refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What the Spirit supplies is enablement. See Luke 12:11-12; 21:12-15. The difference the Spirit makes can be seen in Peter (compare Luke 22:54-62 with Acts 2:14-41).