2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, 25 to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 26
2:1 Now 27 when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
1:1 From Paul, 28 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 35 partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 36
1 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1., where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
2 tn Grk “make your calling and election sure.”
3 tn Grk “these things.”
4 tn In Greek οὐ μή (ou mh) followed by the subjunctive is normally the strongest way to negate an action. Coupled with πότε (pote, “ever”), the statement is even more emphatic. The author is offering sage advice on how to grow in grace.
5 tn The words “into sin” are not in the Greek text, but the Greek word πταίω (ptaiw) is used in soteriological contexts for more than a mere hesitation or stumbling. BDAG 894 s.v. 2 suggests that here it means “be ruined, be lost,” referring to loss of salvation, while also acknowledging that the meaning “to make a mistake, go astray, sin” is plausible in this context. Alternatively, the idea of πταίω here could be that of “suffer misfortune” (so K. L. Schmidt, TDNT 6:884), as a result of sinning.
6 tn Grk “high-sounding words of futility.”
7 tn Grk “they entice.”
8 tn Grk “with the lusts of the flesh, with debauchery.”
9 tn Grk “those.”
10 tn Or “those who are barely escaping.”
11 tn Or “deceit.”
12 tn Verse 19 is a subordinate clause in Greek. The masculine nominative participle “promising” (ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, epangellomenoi) refers back to the subject of vv. 17-18. At the same time, it functions subordinately to the following participle, ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte", “while being”).
13 tn Grk “them.”
14 tn Grk “slaves of.” See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.
15 tn Or “corruption,” “depravity.” Verse 19 constitutes a subordinate clause to v. 18 in Greek. The main verbal components of these two verses are: “uttering…they entice…promising…being (enslaved).” The main verb is (they) entice. The three participles are adverbial and seem to indicate an instrumental relation (by uttering), a concessive relation (although promising), and a temporal relation (while being [enslaved]). For the sake of English usage, in the translation of the text this is broken down into two sentences.
16 tn Grk “for by what someone is overcome, to this he is enslaved.”
17 tn Grk “defilements”; “contaminations”; “pollutions.”
18 sn Through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The implication is not that these people necessarily knew the Lord (in the sense of being saved), but that they were in the circle of those who had embraced Christ as Lord and Savior.
19 tn Grk “(and/but) they.”
20 tn Grk “they again, after becoming entangled in them, are overcome by them.”
21 tn Grk “the [statement] of the true proverb has happened to them.” The idiom in Greek cannot be translated easily in English.
22 tn The quotation is a loose rendering of Prov 26:11. This proverb involves a participle that is translated like a finite verb (“returns”). In the LXX this line constitutes a subordinate and dependent clause. But since the line has been lifted from its original context, it has been translated as an independent statement.
23 tn Or “after being washed.” The middle verb may be direct (“wash oneself”) or permissive (“allow oneself to be washed”).
24 tn The source of this quotation is uncertain. Heraclitus has often been mentioned as a possible source, but this is doubtful. Other options on the translation of the second line include a sow, having (once) bathed herself (in mud), (returns) to wallowing in the mire, or a sow that washes herself by wallowing in the mire (BDAG 181 s.v. βόρβορος). The advantage of this last translation is that no verbs need to be supplied for it to make sense. The disadvantage is that in this context it does not make any contribution to the argument. Since the source of the quotation is not known, there is some guesswork involved in the reconstruction. Most commentators prefer a translation similar to the one in the text above.
25 sn Fellowship refers here to close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.
26 tn Grk “prayers.” This word was translated as a collective singular in keeping with English style.
27 tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.
28 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
29 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
30 tn While the sense of the passage is clear enough, translation in English is somewhat difficult. The Greek says: “by the trickery of men, by craftiness with the scheme of deceit.” The point is that the author is concerned about Christians growing into maturity. He is fearful that certain kinds of very cunning people, who are skilled at deceitful scheming, should come in and teach false doctrines which would in turn stunt the growth of the believers.
31 tn The conditional particle εἰ (ei) together with καί (kai) here indicates a first class condition in Greek and carries a concessive force, especially when seen in contrast to the following phrase which begins with ἀλλά (alla).
32 tn Grk “rejoicing and seeing.”
33 tn The Greek word τάξις can mean “order,” “discipline,” or even “unbroken ranks” (REB).
34 tn Grk “the beginning of the confidence.”
35 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
36 tn Grk “of our confession.”