Acts 2:6

2:6 When this sound ¹  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ²  because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Acts 3:26

3:26 God raised up ³  his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning ⁴  each one of you from your iniquities.” ⁵ 

Acts 11:29

11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, ⁶  decided ⁷  to send relief ⁸  to the brothers living in Judea.

Acts 17:27

17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around ⁹  for him and find him, ¹⁰  though he is ¹¹  not far from each one of us.

Acts 21:19

21:19 When Paul ¹²  had greeted them, he began to explain ¹³  in detail ¹⁴  what God ¹⁵  had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

¹ tn Or “this noise.”

² tn Or “was bewildered.”

³ tn Grk “God raising up his servant, sent him.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Some translations (e.g., NIV, NRSV) render this participle as temporal (“when God raised up his servant”).

⁴ sn The picture of turning is again seen as the appropriate response to the message. See v. 19 above. In v. 19 it was “turning to,” here it is “turning away from.” The direction of the two metaphors is important.

⁵ tn For the translation of plural πονηρία (ponhria) as “iniquities,” see G. Harder, TDNT 6:565. The plural is important, since for Luke turning to Jesus means turning away from sins, not just the sin of rejecting Jesus.

⁵ tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

⁶ tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

⁷ tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.

⁷ tn See BDAG 1097-98 s.v. ψηλαφάω, which lists “touch, handle” and “to feel around for, grope for” as possible meanings.

⁸ sn Perhaps grope around for him and find him. The pagans’ struggle to know God is the point here. Conscience alone is not good enough.

⁹ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντα (Juparconta) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Or “to report,” “to describe.” The imperfect verb ἐξηγεῖτο (exhgeito) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

¹¹ tn BDAG 293 s.v. εἷς 5.e has “καθ᾿ ἕν one after the other (hence τὸ καθ᾿ ἕν ‘a detailed list’: PLille 11, 8 [III bc]; PTebt. 47, 34; 332, 16) J 21:25. Also καθ᾿ ἕν ἕκαστον…Ac 21:19.”

¹² sn Note how Paul credited God with the success of his ministry.