Acts 1:8

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts ¹  of the earth.”

Acts 2:14-41

Peter’s Address on the Day of Pentecost

2:14 But Peter stood up ²  with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea ³  and all you who live in Jerusalem, ⁴  know this ⁵  and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, ⁶  for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ⁷  2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ⁸ 

2:17 ‘And in the last days ⁹  it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, ¹⁰ 

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

2:18 Even on my servants, ¹¹  both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ¹² 

2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky ¹³  above

and miraculous signs ¹⁴  on the earth below,

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the great and glorious ¹⁵  day of the Lord comes.

2:21 And then ¹⁶  everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ¹⁷ 

2:22 “Men of Israel, ¹⁸  listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, ¹⁹  wonders, and miraculous signs ²⁰  that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 2:23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed ²¹  by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. ²²  2:24 But God raised him up, ²³  having released ²⁴  him from the pains ²⁵  of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. ²⁶  2:25 For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, ²⁷ 

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body ²⁸  also will live in hope,

2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, ²⁹ 

nor permit your Holy One to experience ³⁰  decay.

2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ ³¹ 

2:29 “Brothers, ³²  I can speak confidently ³³  to you about our forefather ³⁴  David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because ³⁵  he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants ³⁶  on his throne, ³⁷  2:31 David by foreseeing this ³⁸  spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, ³⁹  that he was neither abandoned to Hades, ⁴⁰  nor did his body ⁴¹  experience ⁴²  decay. ⁴³  2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. ⁴⁴  2:33 So then, exalted ⁴⁵  to the right hand ⁴⁶  of God, and having received ⁴⁷  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁴⁸  from the Father, he has poured out ⁴⁹  what you both see and hear. 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my lord,

“Sit ⁵⁰  at my right hand

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool ⁵¹  for your feet.”’ ⁵² 

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt ⁵³  that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified ⁵⁴  both Lord ⁵⁵  and Christ.” ⁵⁶ 

The Response to Peter’s Address

2:37 Now when they heard this, ⁵⁷  they were acutely distressed ⁵⁸  and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized ⁵⁹  in the name of Jesus Christ ⁶⁰  for ⁶¹  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ⁶²  2:39 For the promise ⁶³  is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 2:40 With many other words he testified ⁶⁴  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ⁶⁵  generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted ⁶⁶  his message ⁶⁷  were baptized, and that day about three thousand people ⁶⁸  were added. ⁶⁹ 

Acts 3:12-26

3:12 When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, ⁷⁰  why are you amazed at this? Why ⁷¹  do you stare at us as if we had made this man ⁷²  walk by our own power or piety? 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ⁷³  the God of our forefathers, ⁷⁴  has glorified ⁷⁵  his servant ⁷⁶  Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected ⁷⁷  in the presence of Pilate after he had decided ⁷⁸  to release him. 3:14 But you rejected ⁷⁹  the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 3:15 You killed ⁸⁰  the Originator ⁸¹  of life, whom God raised ⁸²  from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! ⁸³  3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ ⁸⁴  name, ⁸⁵  his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The ⁸⁶  faith that is through Jesus ⁸⁷  has given him this complete health in the presence ⁸⁸  of you all. 3:17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, ⁸⁹  as your rulers did too. 3:18 But the things God foretold ⁹⁰  long ago through ⁹¹  all the prophets – that his Christ ⁹²  would suffer – he has fulfilled in this way. 3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, 3:20 so that times of refreshing ⁹³  may come from the presence of the Lord, ⁹⁴  and so that he may send the Messiah ⁹⁵  appointed ⁹⁶  for you – that is, Jesus. 3:21 This one ⁹⁷  heaven must ⁹⁸  receive until the time all things are restored, ⁹⁹  which God declared ¹⁰⁰  from times long ago ¹⁰¹  through his holy prophets. 3:22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey ¹⁰²  him in everything he tells you. ¹⁰³  3:23 Every person ¹⁰⁴  who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed ¹⁰⁵  from the people.’ ¹⁰⁶  3:24 And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced ¹⁰⁷  these days. 3:25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, ¹⁰⁸  saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants ¹⁰⁹  all the nations ¹¹⁰  of the earth will be blessed.’ ¹¹¹  3:26 God raised up ¹¹²  his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning ¹¹³  each one of you from your iniquities.” ¹¹⁴ 

Acts 4:4

4:4 But many of those who had listened to ¹¹⁵  the message ¹¹⁶  believed, and the number of the men ¹¹⁷  came to about five thousand.

Acts 5:12-16

The Apostles Perform Miraculous Signs and Wonders

5:12 Now many miraculous signs ¹¹⁸  and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By ¹¹⁹  common consent ¹²⁰  they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. ¹²¹  5:13 None of the rest dared to join them, ¹²²  but the people held them in high honor. ¹²³  5:14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, ¹²⁴  crowds of both men and women. 5:15 Thus ¹²⁵  they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. 5:16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem ¹²⁶  also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. ¹²⁷  They ¹²⁸  were all ¹²⁹  being healed.

Acts 8:17

8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, ¹³⁰  and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹³¹ 

[1:8]  ¹ tn Or “to the ends.”

[2:14]  ² tn Grk “standing up.” The participle σταθείς (staqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[2:14]  ³ tn Or “You Jewish men.” “Judea” is preferred here because it is paired with “Jerusalem,” a location. This suggests locality rather than ethnic background is the primary emphasis in the context. As for “men,” 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 “all” who live in Jerusalem are addressed, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[2:14]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:14]  ⁵ tn Grk “let this be known to you.” The passive construction has been translated as an active for stylistic reasons.

[2:15]  ⁶ tn Grk “These men are not drunk, as you suppose.”

[2:15]  ⁷ tn Grk “only the third hour.”

[2:16]  ⁸ sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.

[2:17]  ⁹ sn The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”

[2:17]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “on all flesh.”

[2:18]  ¹¹ tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is not conspicuous here; hence, the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[2:18]  ¹² sn The words and they will prophesy in Acts 2:18 are not quoted from Joel 2:29 at this point but are repeated from earlier in the quotation (Acts 2:17) for emphasis. Tongues speaking is described as prophecy, just like intelligible tongues are described in 1 Cor 14:26-33.

[2:19]  ¹³ tn Or “in the heaven.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context. Here, in contrast to “the earth below,” a reference to the sky is more likely.

[2:19]  ¹⁴ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned; this is made explicit in the translation.

[2:20]  ¹⁵ tn Or “and wonderful.”

[2:21]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “And it will be that.”

[2:21]  ¹⁷ sn A quotation from Joel 2:28-32.

[2:22]  ¹⁸ tn Or “Israelite men,” although this is less natural English. The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it is conceivable that this is a generic usage, although it can also be argued that Peter’s remarks were addressed primarily to the men present, even if women were there.

[2:22]  ¹⁹ tn Or “miraculous deeds.”

[2:22]  ²⁰ tn Again, the context indicates the miraculous nature of these signs, and this is specified in the translation.

[2:23]  ²¹ tn Or “you killed.”

[2:23]  ²² tn Grk “at the hands of lawless men.” At this point the term ἄνομος (anomo") refers to non-Jews who live outside the Jewish (Mosaic) law, rather than people who broke any or all laws including secular laws. Specifically it is a reference to the Roman soldiers who carried out Jesus’ crucifixion.

[2:24]  ²³ tn Grk “Whom God raised up.”

[2:24]  ²⁴ tn Or “having freed.”

[2:24]  ²⁵ sn The term translated pains is frequently used to describe pains associated with giving birth (see Rev 12:2). So there is irony here in the mixed metaphor.

[2:24]  ²⁶ tn Or “for him to be held by it” (in either case, “it” refers to death’s power).

[2:25]  ²⁷ tn Or “always before me.”

[2:26]  ²⁸ tn Grk “my flesh.”

[2:27]  ²⁹ tn Or “will not abandon my soul to Hades.” Often “Hades” is the equivalent of the Hebrew term Sheol, the place of the dead.

[2:27]  ³⁰ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[2:28]  ³¹ sn A quotation from Ps 16:8-11.

[2:29]  ³² tn Since this represents a continuation of the address beginning in v.14 and continued in v. 22, “brothers” has been used here rather than a generic expression like “brothers and sisters.”

[2:29]  ³³ sn Peter’s certainty is based on well-known facts.

[2:29]  ³⁴ tn Or “about our noted ancestor,” “about the patriarch.”

[2:30]  ³⁵ tn The participles ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) and εἰδώς (eidw") are translated as causal adverbial participles.

[2:30]  ³⁶ tn Grk “one from the fruit of his loins.” “Loins” is the traditional translation of ὀσφῦς (osfu"), referring to the male genital organs. A literal rendering like “one who came from his genital organs” would be regarded as too specific and perhaps even vulgar by many contemporary readers. Most modern translations thus render the phrase “one of his descendants.”

[2:30]  ³⁷ sn An allusion to Ps 132:11 and 2 Sam 7:12-13, the promise in the Davidic covenant.

[2:31]  ³⁸ tn Grk “David foreseeing spoke.” The participle προϊδών (proidwn) is taken as indicating means. It could also be translated as a participle of attendant circumstance: “David foresaw [this] and spoke.” The word “this” is supplied in either case as an understood direct object (direct objects in Greek were often omitted, but must be supplied for the modern English reader).

[2:31]  ³⁹ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:31]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “abandoned in the world of the dead.” The translation “world of the dead” for Hades is suggested by L&N 1.19. The phrase is an allusion to Ps 16:10.

[2:31]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “flesh.” See vv. 26b-27. The reference to “body” in this verse picks up the reference to “body” in v. 26. The Greek term σάρξ (sarx) in both verses literally means “flesh”; however, the translation “body” stresses the lack of decay of his physical body. The point of the verse is not merely the lack of decay of his flesh alone, but the resurrection of his entire person, as indicated by the previous parallel line “he was not abandoned to Hades.”

[2:31]  ⁴² tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[2:31]  ⁴³ sn An allusion to Ps 16:10.

[2:32]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “of him”; Grk “of which [or whom] we are all witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

[2:33]  ⁴⁵ tn The aorist participle ὑψωθείς (Juywqei") could be taken temporally: “So then, after he was exalted…” In the translation the more neutral “exalted” (a shorter form of “having been exalted”) was used to preserve the ambiguity of the original Greek.

[2:33]  ⁴⁶ sn The expression the right hand of God represents supreme power and authority. Its use here sets up the quotation of Ps 110:1 in v. 34.

[2:33]  ⁴⁷ tn The aorist participle λαβών (labwn) could be taken temporally: “So then, after he was exalted…and received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit.” In the translation the more neutral “having received” was used to preserve the ambiguity of the original Greek.

[2:33]  ⁴⁸ tn Here the genitive τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the promise consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:33]  ⁴⁹ sn The use of the verb poured out looks back to 2:17-18, where the same verb occurs twice.

[2:34]  ⁵⁰ sn Sit at my right hand. The word “sit” alludes back to the promise of “seating one on his throne” in v. 30.

[2:35]  ⁵¹ sn The metaphor make your enemies a footstool portrays the complete subjugation of the enemies.

[2:35]  ⁵² sn A quotation from Ps 110:1, one of the most often-cited OT passages in the NT, pointing to the exaltation of Jesus.

[2:36]  ⁵³ tn Or “know for certain.” This term is in an emphatic position in the clause.

[2:36]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” The clause has been simplified in the translation by replacing the pronoun “him” with the explanatory clause “this Jesus whom you crucified” which comes at the end of the sentence.

[2:36]  ⁵⁵ sn Lord. This looks back to the quotation of Ps 110:1 and the mention of “calling on the Lord” in 2:21. Peter’s point is that the Lord on whom one calls for salvation is Jesus, because he is the one mediating God’s blessing of the Spirit as a sign of the presence of salvation and the last days.

[2:36]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “and Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:37]  ⁵⁷ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[2:37]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “they were pierced to the heart” (an idiom for acute emotional distress).

[2:38]  ⁵⁹ tn The verb is a third person imperative, but the common translation “let each of you be baptized” obscures the imperative force in English, since it sounds more like a permissive (“each of you may be baptized”) to the average English reader.

[2:38]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:38]  ⁶¹ tn There is debate over the meaning of εἰς in the prepositional phrase εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν (eis afesin twn Jamartiwn Jumwn, “for/because of/with reference to the forgiveness of your sins”). Although a causal sense has been argued, it is difficult to maintain here. ExSyn 369-71 discusses at least four other ways of dealing with the passage: (1) The baptism referred to here is physical only, and εἰς has the meaning of “for” or “unto.” Such a view suggests that salvation is based on works – an idea that runs counter to the theology of Acts, namely: (a) repentance often precedes baptism (cf. Acts 3:19; 26:20), and (b) salvation is entirely a gift of God, not procured via water baptism (Acts 10:43 [cf. v. 47]; 13:38-39, 48; 15:11; 16:30-31; 20:21; 26:18); (2) The baptism referred to here is spiritual only. Although such a view fits well with the theology of Acts, it does not fit well with the obvious meaning of “baptism” in Acts – especially in this text (cf. 2:41); (3) The text should be repunctuated in light of the shift from second person plural to third person singular back to second person plural again. The idea then would be, “Repent for/with reference to your sins, and let each one of you be baptized…” Such a view is an acceptable way of handling εἰς, but its subtlety and awkwardness count against it; (4) Finally, it is possible that to a first-century Jewish audience (as well as to Peter), the idea of baptism might incorporate both the spiritual reality and the physical symbol. That Peter connects both closely in his thinking is clear from other passages such as Acts 10:47 and 11:15-16. If this interpretation is correct, then Acts 2:38 is saying very little about the specific theological relationship between the symbol and the reality, only that historically they were viewed together. One must look in other places for a theological analysis. For further discussion see R. N. Longenecker, “Acts,” EBC 9:283-85; B. Witherington, Acts, 154-55; F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 129-30; BDAG 290 s.v. εἰς 4.f.

[2:38]  ⁶² tn Here the genitive τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος (tou Jagiou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:39]  ⁶³ sn The promise refers to the promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus received from the Father in 2:33 and which he now pours out on others. The promise consists of the Holy Spirit (see note in 2:33). Jesus is the active mediator of God’s blessing.

[2:40]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “warned.”

[2:40]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “crooked” (in a moral or ethical sense). See Luke 3:5.

[2:41]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “who acknowledged the truth of.”

[2:41]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[2:41]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

[2:41]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “were won over.”

[3:12]  ⁷⁰ tn Or perhaps “People of Israel,” since this was taking place in Solomon’s Portico and women may have been present. The Greek ἄνδρες ᾿Ισραηλῖται (andre" Israhlitai) used in the plural would normally mean “men, gentlemen” (BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 1.a).

[3:12]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “or why.”

[3:12]  ⁷² tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:13]  ⁷³ tc ‡ The repetition of ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) before the names of Isaac and Jacob is found in Ì⁷⁴ א C (A D without article) 36 104 1175 pc lat. The omission of the second and third ὁ θεός is supported by B E Ψ 33 1739 Ï pc. The other time that Exod 3:6 is quoted in Acts (7:32) the best witnesses also lack the repeated ὁ θεός, but the three other times this OT passage is quoted in the NT the full form, with the thrice-mentioned θεός, is used (Matt 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37). Scribes would be prone to conform the wording here to the LXX; the longer reading is thus most likely not authentic. NA²⁷ has the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

[3:13]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[3:13]  ⁷⁵ sn Has glorified. Jesus is alive, raised and active, as the healing illustrates so dramatically how God honors him.

[3:13]  ⁷⁶ sn His servant. The term servant has messianic connotations given the context of the promise, the note of suffering, and the titles and functions noted in vv. 14-15.

[3:13]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”

[3:13]  ⁷⁸ tn This genitive absolute construction could be understood as temporal (“when he had decided”) or concessive (“although he had decided”).

[3:14]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “denied,” “disowned.”

[3:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “You put to death.”

[3:15]  ⁸¹ tn Or “Founder,” “founding Leader.”

[3:15]  ⁸² sn Whom God raised. God is the main actor here, as he testifies to Jesus and vindicates him.

[3:15]  ⁸³ tn Grk “whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the words “to this fact” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[3:16]  ⁸⁴ tn Grk “in his name”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁸⁵ sn Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. See the note on the word name in 3:6.

[3:16]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “see and know, and the faith.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated.

[3:16]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “in full view.”

[3:17]  ⁸⁹ sn The ignorance Peter mentions here does not excuse them from culpability. It was simply a way to say “you did not realize the great mistake you made.”

[3:18]  ⁹⁰ sn God foretold. Peter’s topic is the working out of God’s plan and promise through events the scriptures also note.

[3:18]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[3:18]  ⁹² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:20]  ⁹³ tn Or “relief.”

[3:20]  ⁹⁴ tn The words “so that…Lord” are traditionally placed in v. 19 by most English translations, but in the present translation the verse division follows the standard critical editions of the Greek text (NA²⁷, UBS⁴).

[3:20]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “the Christ”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:20]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “designated in advance.”

[3:21]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “whom,” continuing the sentence from v. 20.

[3:21]  ⁹⁸ sn The term must used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) is a key Lukan term to point to the plan of God and what must occur.

[3:21]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “until the times of the restoration of all things.” Because of the awkward English style of the extended genitive construction, and because the following relative clause has as its referent the “time of restoration” rather than “all things,” the phrase was translated “until the time all things are restored.”

[3:21]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Or “spoke.”

[3:21]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “from all ages past.”

[3:22]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14) and the following context (v. 23) makes it clear that failure to “obey” the words of this “prophet like Moses” will result in complete destruction.

[3:22]  ¹⁰³ sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. By quoting Deut 18:15 Peter declared that Jesus was the eschatological “prophet like [Moses]” mentioned in that passage, who reveals the plan of God and the way of God.

[3:23]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “every soul” (here “soul” is an idiom for the whole person).

[3:23]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “will be completely destroyed.” In Acts 3:23 the verb ἐξολεθρεύω (exoleqreuw) is translated “destroy and remove” by L&N 20.35.

[3:23]  ¹⁰⁶ sn A quotation from Deut 18:19, also Lev 23:29. The OT context of Lev 23:29 discusses what happened when one failed to honor atonement. One ignored the required sacrifice of God at one’s peril.

[3:24]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “proclaimed.”

[3:25]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[3:25]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “in your offspring”; Grk “in your seed.”

[3:25]  ¹¹⁰ tn Or “families.” The Greek word πατριά (patria) can indicate persons of succeeding generations who are related by birth (“lineage,” “family”) but it can also indicate a relatively large unit of people who make up a sociopolitical group and who share a presumed biological descent. In many contexts πατριά is very similar to ἔθνος (eqnos) and λαός (laos). In light of the context of the OT quotation, it is better to translate πατριά as “nations” here.

[3:25]  ¹¹¹ sn A quotation from Gen 22:18.

[3:26]  ¹¹² 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”).

[3:26]  ¹¹³ 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.

[3:26]  ¹¹⁴ 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.

[4:4]  ¹¹⁵ tn Or “had heard.”

[4:4]  ¹¹⁶ tn Or “word.”

[4:4]  ¹¹⁷ tn In the historical setting it is likely that only men are referred to here. The Greek term ἀνήρ (anhr) usually refers to males or husbands rather than people in general. Thus to translate “of the people” would give a false impression of the number, since any women and children were apparently not included in the count.

[5:12]  ¹¹⁸ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.

[5:12]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “And by.” 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.

[5:12]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “With one mind.”

[5:12]  ¹²¹ tn Or “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”

[5:13]  ¹²² tn Or “to associate with them.” The group was beginning to have a controversial separate identity. People were cautious about joining them. The next verse suggests that the phrase “none of the rest” in this verse is rhetorical hyperbole.

[5:13]  ¹²³ tn Or “the people thought very highly of them.”

[5:14]  ¹²⁴ tn Or “More and more believers were added to the Lord.”

[5:15]  ¹²⁵ tn This is a continuation of the preceding sentence in Greek, but because this would produce an awkward sentence in English, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[5:16]  ¹²⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:16]  ¹²⁷ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.

[5:16]  ¹²⁸ tn Literally a relative pronoun, “who.” In English, however, a relative clause (“bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits, who were all being healed”) could be understood to refer only to the second group (meaning only those troubled by unclean spirits were being healed) or even that the unclean spirits were being healed. To avoid this ambiguity the pronoun “they” was used to begin a new English sentence.

[5:16]  ¹²⁹ sn They were all being healed. Note how the healings that the apostles provided were comprehensive in their consistency.

[8:17]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “on them”; the referent (the Samaritans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ¹³¹ sn They received the Holy Spirit. It is likely this special distribution of the Spirit took place because a key ethnic boundary was being crossed. Here are some of “those far off” of Acts 2:38-40.