6:1 Now in those 42 days, when the disciples were growing in number, 43 a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews 44 against the native Hebraic Jews, 45 because their widows 46 were being overlooked 47 in the daily distribution of food. 48
1 tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.
2 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
3 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).
4 tn Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.
5 tn Grk “of whom I am.” The relative clause with its possessive was translated following L&N 15.86 s.v. παρίσταμαι.
6 tn Or “worship.”
7 tn Or “stood by me.” BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.a.α states, “approach, come τινί (to) someone…Ac 9:39; 27:23.”
9 sn On humility see 2 Cor 10:1; 11:7; 1 Thess 2:6; Col 3:12; Eph 4:2; Phil 2:3-11.
10 sn These plots are mentioned in Acts 9:24; 20:13.
13 tn L&N 57.45 has “nor does he need anything more that people can supply by working for him.”
14 tn Grk “he himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.”
17 tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish …Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”
18 tn The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
19 tn Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).
20 sn An allusion to Exod 3:12.
21 sn The twelve refers to the twelve apostles.
22 tn Grk “calling the whole group…together, said.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενοι (proskalesamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
23 tn Or “the multitude.”
24 tn Grk “to serve tables.”
25 tn Grk “to which [promise] our twelve tribes…” The antecedent of the relative pronoun (the promise in v. 6) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.
27 tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.
28 tn Grk “O King!”
29 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
30 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.
31 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.
33 sn The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18-32.
34 tn Or “stars.”
35 tn The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).
36 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”
37 tn Or “serve.”
38 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
39 sn That is, the law of Moses. Paul was claiming that he legitimately worshiped the God of Israel. He was arguing that this amounted to a religious dispute rather than a political one, so that the Roman authorities need not concern themselves with it.
41 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
42 sn As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.
43 tn BDAG 719 s.v. ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”
44 tc ‡ Some
45 tn Grk “Men brothers.” In light of the compound phrase ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (andre" adelfoi, “Men brothers”) Peter’s words are best understood as directly addressed to the males present, possibly referring specifically to the twelve (really ten at this point – eleven minus the speaker, Peter) mentioned by name in v. 13.
46 tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”
49 tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.
50 tn Or “Appoint.”
53 tn Grk “these.” The translation uses “those” for stylistic reasons.
54 tn Grk “were multiplying.”
55 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.
56 tn Grk “against the Hebrews,” but as with “Hellenists” this needs further explanation for the modern reader.
57 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.
58 tn Or “neglected.”
59 tn Grk “in the daily serving.”
57 sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.
58 tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, threisqai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
59 tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, ἀ. ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”
60 tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).
61 tn Grk “from serving him.”