2:1 Now 1 when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly 2 a sound 3 like a violent wind blowing 4 came from heaven 5 and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire 6 appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All 7 of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages 8 as the Spirit enabled them. 9
6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs 10 among the people.
3:8 But I 12 am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,
and have a strong commitment to justice. 13
This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,
and Israel with its sin. 14
1 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.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.
3 tn Or “a noise.”
4 tn While φέρω (ferw) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (feromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoh).
5 tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.
6 tn Or “And divided tongues as of fire.” The precise meaning of διαμερίζομαι (diamerizomai) in Acts 2:3 is difficult to determine. The meaning could be “tongues as of fire dividing up one to each person,” but it is also possible that the individual tongues of fire were divided (“And divided tongues as of fire appeared”). The translation adopted in the text (“tongues spreading out like a fire”) attempts to be somewhat ambiguous.
7 tn Grk “And all.” 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.
8 tn The Greek term is γλώσσαις (glwssai"), the same word used for the tongues of fire.
9 tn Grk “just as the spirit gave them to utter.” The verb ἀποφθέγγομαι (apofqengomai) was used of special utterances in Classical Greek (BDAG 125 s.v.).
10 tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.
11 tn Or “ability”; Grk “authority.”
12 sn The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the
13 tn Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the
14 tn Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
15 sn It is premature to understand the Spirit here as the Holy Spirit (the third Person of the Trinity), though the OT prepares the way for that NT revelation (cf. Gen 1:2; Exod 23:3; 31:3; Num 11:17-29; Judg 3:10; 6:34; 2 Kgs 2:9, 15, 16; Ezek 2:2; 3:12; 11:1, 5).
16 tn Or perhaps, “trample on” (which emphasizes the impact of the feet on the snakes). See L&N 15.226.
17 sn Snakes and scorpions are examples of the hostility in the creation that is defeated by Jesus. The use of battle imagery shows who the kingdom fights against. See Acts 28:3-6.
18 tn Or “I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and [authority] over the full force of the enemy.” The second prepositional phrase can be taken either as modifying the infinitive πατεῖν (patein, “to tread”) or the noun ἐξουσίαν (exousian, “power”). The former is to be preferred and has been represented in the translation.
19 tn This is an emphatic double negative in the Greek text.
20 tn The word “authority” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. “Power” would be another alternative that could be supplied here.
21 sn This description is parenthetical in nature.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
23 tn This is a collective singular in Greek.
24 tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”
25 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
26 tn Or “authority.”
27 tn Grk “the days.”
28 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
29 tn Or “authority.”