7:9 “While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days 5 took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s 6 wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame. 7
7:10 A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. 8
The court convened 9
and the books were opened.
7:11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching 10 until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into 11 the flaming fire. 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on living 12 for a time and a season. 7:13 I was watching in the night visions,
“And with 13 the clouds of the sky 14
one like a son of man 15 was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted 16 before him.
7:14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving 17 him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away. 18
His kingdom will not be destroyed. 19
25:31 “When 28 the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
1:1 I wrote 31 the former 32 account, 33 Theophilus, 34 about all that Jesus began to do and teach
1:7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds, 45
and every eye will see him,
even 46 those who pierced him, 47
and all the tribes 48 on the earth will mourn because 49 of him.
This will certainly come to pass! 50 Amen.) 51
1 sn How one responds now to Jesus and his teaching is a reflection of how Jesus, as the Son of Man who judges, will respond then in the final judgment.
2 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
3 sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
4 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13.
5 tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”
6 tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.
7 tn Aram “a flaming fire.”
8 tn Aram “were standing before him.”
9 tn Aram “judgment sat.”
10 tc The LXX and Theodotion lack the words “I was watching” here. It is possible that these words in the MT are a dittography from the first part of the verse.
11 tn Aram “and given over to” (so NRSV).
12 tn Aram “a prolonging of life was granted to them.”
13 tc The LXX has ἐπί (epi, “upon”) here (cf. Matt 24:30; 26:64). Theodotion has μετά (meta, “with”) here (cf. Mark 14:62; Rev 1:7).
14 tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
15 sn This text is probably the main OT background for Jesus’ use of the term “son of man.” In both Jewish and Christian circles the reference in the book of Daniel has traditionally been understood to refer to an individual, usually in a messianic sense. Many modern scholars, however, understand the reference to have a corporate identity. In this view, the “son of man” is to be equated with the “holy ones” (vv. 18, 21, 22, 25) or the “people of the holy ones” (v. 27) and understood as a reference to the Jewish people. Others understand Daniel’s reference to be to the angel Michael.
16 tn Aram “they brought him near.”
17 tn Some take “serving” here in the sense of “worshiping.”
18 tn Aram “is an eternal authority which will not pass away.”
19 tn Aram “is one which will not be destroyed.”
20 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of this phrase has been modified for clarity.
21 tn The expression “flesh and blood” could refer to “any human being” (so TEV, NLT; cf. NIV “man”), but it could also refer to Peter himself (i.e., his own intuition; cf. CEV “You didn’t discover this on your own”). Because of the ambiguity of the referent, the phrase “flesh and blood” has been retained in the translation.
22 sn An allusion to Pss 28:4; 62:12; cf. Prov 24:12.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
24 tn Or “in the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
25 tn Here τότε (tote, “then”) has not been translated to avoid redundancy in English.
26 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
27 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full authority to judge.
28 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
29 tn The word “here” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
30 tc Codex Bezae (D) and several other witnesses lack the words εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν (ei" ton ouranon, “into heaven”) here, most likely by way of accidental deletion. In any event, it is hardly correct to suppose that the Western text has intentionally suppressed references to the ascension of Christ here, for the phrase is solidly attested in the final clause of the verse.
31 tn Or “produced,” Grk “made.”
32 tn Or “first.” The translation “former” is preferred because “first” could imply to the modern English reader that the author means that his previous account was the first one to be written down. The Greek term πρῶτος (prwtos) does not necessarily mean “first” in an absolute sense, but can refer to the first in a set or series. That is what is intended here – the first account (known as the Gospel of Luke) as compared to the second one (known as Acts).
33 tn The Greek word λόγος (logos) is sometimes translated “book” (NRSV, NIV) or “treatise” (KJV). A formal, systematic treatment of a subject is implied, but the word “book” may be too specific and slightly misleading to the modern reader, so “account” has been used.
34 tn Grk “O Theophilus,” but the usage of the vocative in Acts with ὦ (w) is unemphatic, following more the classical idiom (see ExSyn 69).
35 tn Or “evident.”
36 tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.
37 tn Or “has been done by them.”
38 tn Or “greatly annoyed,” “provoked.”
39 tn Or “proclaiming.”
40 tn Grk “It is not for you to know.”
41 tn Or “to the ends.”
42 tn Grk “And after.” 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.
43 tn Grk “And as.” 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.
44 tn Grk “behold.”
45 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13.
46 tn Here καί (kai) was translated as ascensive.
47 sn An allusion to Zech 12:10.
48 tn In this context, tribes (φυλαί, fulai) could also be translated as “nations” or “peoples” (L&N 11.56).
49 tn The conjunction ἐπί (epi) is most likely causal here. The people who crucified him are those of every tribe on the earth and they will mourn because he comes as judge.
50 tn Grk “Yes, Amen.” The expression “This will certainly come to pass” is an attempt to capture the force of the juxtaposition of the Greek ναί (nai) and the Hebrew ἀμήν (amhn). See L&N 69.1.
51 sn These lines are placed in parentheses because they form an aside to the main argument.