6:1 Now in those 6 days, when the disciples were growing in number, 7 a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews 8 against the native Hebraic Jews, 9 because their widows 10 were being overlooked 11 in the daily distribution of food. 12
141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering! 14
43:26 Remind me of what happened! Let’s debate!
You, prove to me that you are right! 15
3:16 Then those who respected 16 the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. 17 A scroll 18 was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored his name.
1 tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”
2 sn This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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).
6 tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.
7 tn Grk “were multiplying.”
8 tn Grk “the Hellenists,” but this descriptive term is largely unknown to the modern English reader. The translation “Greek-speaking Jews” attempts to convey something of who these were, but it was more than a matter of language spoken; it involved a degree of adoption of Greek culture as well.
9 tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.
10 sn The care of widows is a major biblical theme: Deut 10:18; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Isa 1:17-23; Jer 7:6; Mal 3:5.
11 tn Or “neglected.”
12 tn Grk “in the daily serving.”
13 tn Grk “And praying, they said.” 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.
14 tn Heb “may my prayer be established [like] incense before you, the uplifting of my hands [like] an evening offering.”
15 tn Heb “you, tell in order that you may be right”; NAB “prove your innocence.”
16 tn Or “fear” (so NAB); NRSV “revered”; NCV “honored.”
17 tn Heb “heard and listened”; NAB “listened attentively.”
18 sn The scroll mentioned here is a “memory book” (סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן, sefer zikkaron) in which the
19 tn The passive means that the prayer was heard by God.
20 tn Grk “a son, and you”; καί (kai) has not been translated. Instead a semicolon is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
21 tn Grk “you will call his name John.” The future tense here functions like a command (see ExSyn 569-70). This same construction occurs in v. 31.