Acts 13:47

13:47 For this ¹  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ²  you to be a light ³  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁴  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁵ 

Romans 15:8-12

15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised ⁶  on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁷  15:9 and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. ⁸  As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.” ⁹  15:10 And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” ¹⁰  15:11 And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” ¹¹  15:12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.” ¹² 

¹ tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

² tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).

³ sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.

⁴ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

⁵ sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)

⁶ tn Grk “of the circumcision”; that is, the Jews.

⁷ tn Or “to the patriarchs.”

⁸ tn There are two major syntactical alternatives which are both awkward: (1) One could make “glorify” dependent on “Christ has become a minister” and coordinate with “to confirm” and the result would be rendered “Christ has become a minister of circumcision to confirm the promises…and so that the Gentiles might glorify God.” (2) One could make “glorify” dependent on “I tell you” and coordinate with “Christ has become a minister” and the result would be rendered “I tell you that Christ has become a minister of circumcision…and that the Gentiles glorify God.” The second rendering is preferred.

⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 18:49.

¹⁰ sn A quotation from Deut 32:43.

¹¹ sn A quotation from Ps 117:1.

¹² sn A quotation from Isa 11:10.