Acts 1:16-26

1:16 “Brothers, ¹  the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through ²  David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” ³  1:18 (Now this man Judas ⁴  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ⁵  and falling headfirst ⁶  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ⁷  gushed out. 1:19 This ⁸  became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language ⁹  they called that field ¹⁰  Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ¹¹  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ¹²  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ¹³  1:21 Thus one of the men ¹⁴  who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with ¹⁵  us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he ¹⁶  was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they ¹⁷  proposed two candidates: ¹⁸  Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, ¹⁹  “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task ²⁰  of this service ²¹  and apostleship from which Judas turned aside ²²  to go to his own place.” ²³  1:26 Then ²⁴  they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; ²⁵  so he was counted with the eleven apostles. ²⁶ 

Acts 13:2-4

13:2 While they were serving ²⁷  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ²⁸  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 13:3 Then, after they had fasted ²⁹  and ³⁰  prayed and placed their hands ³¹  on them, they sent them off.

Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus

13:4 So Barnabas and Saul, ³²  sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, ³³  and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ³⁴ 

[1:16]  ¹ 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.

[1:16]  ² tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”

[1:17]  ³ tn Or “and was chosen to have a share in this ministry.” The term λαγχάνω (lancanw) here and in 2 Pet 1:1 can be understood as referring to the process of divine choice and thus be translated, “was chosen to have.”

[1:18]  ⁴ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ⁵ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

[1:18]  ⁶ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

[1:18]  ⁷ tn Or “all his bowels.”

[1:19]  ⁸ tn Grk “And this.” 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.

[1:19]  ⁹ sn Their own language refers to Aramaic, the primary language spoken in Palestine in Jesus’ day.

[1:19]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “that field was called.” The passive voice has been converted to active in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

[1:20]  ¹¹ tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

[1:20]  ¹² sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

[1:20]  ¹³ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

[1:21]  ¹⁴ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, where a successor to Judas is being chosen, only men were under consideration in the original historical context.

[1:21]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” According to BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β, “ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ ᾧ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς went in and out among us = associated with us Ac 1:21.”

[1:22]  ¹⁶ tn Here the pronoun “he” refers to Jesus.

[1:23]  ¹⁷ tc Codex Bezae (D) and other Western witnesses have “he proposed,” referring to Peter, thus emphasizing his role above the other apostles. The Western text displays a conscious pattern of elevating Peter in Acts, and thus the singular verb here is a palpably motivated reading.

[1:23]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “So they proposed two.” The word “candidates” was supplied in the text for clarity.

[1:24]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “And praying, they said.” 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.

[1:25]  ²⁰ tn Grk “to take the place.”

[1:25]  ²¹ tn Or “of this ministry.”

[1:25]  ²² tn Or “the task of this service and apostleship which Judas ceased to perform.”

[1:25]  ²³ sn To go to his own place. This may well be a euphemism for Judas’ judged fate. He separated himself from them, and thus separated he would remain.

[1:26]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the continuity with the preceding verse. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style does not.

[1:26]  ²⁵ tn Grk “and the lot fell on Matthias.”

[1:26]  ²⁶ tn Or “he was counted as one of the apostles along with the eleven.”

[13:2]  ²⁷ 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.

[13:2]  ²⁸ tn Or “Appoint.”

[13:3]  ²⁹ tn The three aorist participles νηστεύσαντες (nhsteusante"), προσευξάμενοι (proseuxamenoi), and ἐπιθέντες (epiqente") are translated as temporal participles. Although they could indicate contemporaneous time when used with an aorist main verb, logically here they are antecedent. On fasting and prayer, see Matt 6:5, 16; Luke 2:37; 5:33; Acts 14:23.

[13:3]  ³⁰ tn Normally English style, which uses a coordinating conjunction between only the last two elements of a series of three or more, would call for omission of “and” here. However, since the terms “fasting and prayer” are something of a unit, often linked together, the conjunction has been retained here.

[13:3]  ³¹ sn The placing of hands on Barnabas and Saul (traditionally known as “the laying on of hands”) refers to an act picturing the commission of God and the church for the task at hand.

[13:4]  ³² tn Grk “they”; the referents (Barnabas and Saul) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:4]  ³³ sn Seleucia was the port city of Antioch in Syria.

[13:4]  ³⁴ sn Cyprus was a large island in the Mediterranean off the south coast of Asia Minor.