Acts 2:33-47

2:33 So then, exalted ¹  to the right hand ²  of God, and having received ³  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁴  from the Father, he has poured out ⁵  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 ⁶  at my right hand

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool ⁷  for your feet.”’ ⁸ 

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt ⁹  that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified ¹⁰  both Lord ¹¹  and Christ.” ¹² 

The Response to Peter’s Address

2:37 Now when they heard this, ¹³  they were acutely distressed ¹⁴  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 ¹⁵  in the name of Jesus Christ ¹⁶  for ¹⁷  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸  2:39 For the promise ¹⁹  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 ²⁰  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ²¹  generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted ²²  his message ²³  were baptized, and that day about three thousand people ²⁴  were added. ²⁵ 

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, ²⁶  to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ²⁷  2:43 Reverential awe ²⁸  came over everyone, ²⁹  and many wonders and miraculous signs ³⁰  came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held ³¹  everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling ³²  their property ³³  and possessions and distributing the proceeds ³⁴  to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day ³⁵  they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, ³⁶  breaking bread from ³⁷  house to house, sharing their food with glad ³⁸  and humble hearts, ³⁹  2:47 praising God and having the good will ⁴⁰  of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day ⁴¹  those who were being saved.

Acts 2:2

2:2 Suddenly ⁴²  a sound ⁴³  like a violent wind blowing ⁴⁴  came from heaven ⁴⁵  and filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Acts 1:6-10

1:6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, ⁴⁶  “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know ⁴⁷  the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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 ⁴⁸  of the earth.” 1:9 After ⁴⁹  he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 1:10 As ⁵⁰  they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly ⁵¹  two men in white clothing stood near them

Titus 2:13

2:13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing ⁵²  of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ⁵³ 

Hebrews 9:28

9:28 so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, ⁵⁴  to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin ⁵⁵  but to bring salvation. ⁵⁶ 

Hebrews 9:1

The Arrangement and Ritual of the Earthly Sanctuary

9:1 Now the first covenant, ⁵⁷  in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary.

Hebrews 4:12-14

4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 4:13 And no creature is hidden from God, ⁵⁸  but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Jesus Our Compassionate High Priest

4:14 Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

[2:33]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Here the genitive τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the promise consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:33]  ⁵ sn The use of the verb poured out looks back to 2:17-18, where the same verb occurs twice.

[2:34]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ sn The metaphor make your enemies a footstool portrays the complete subjugation of the enemies.

[2:35]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Or “know for certain.” This term is in an emphatic position in the clause.

[2:36]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Or “and Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:37]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “they were pierced to the heart” (an idiom for acute emotional distress).

[2:38]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:38]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ tn Here the genitive τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος (tou Jagiou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:39]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ tn Or “warned.”

[2:40]  ²¹ tn Or “crooked” (in a moral or ethical sense). See Luke 3:5.

[2:41]  ²² tn Or “who acknowledged the truth of.”

[2:41]  ²³ tn Grk “word.”

[2:41]  ²⁴ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

[2:41]  ²⁵ tn Or “were won over.”

[2:42]  ²⁶ sn Fellowship refers here to close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.

[2:42]  ²⁷ tn Grk “prayers.” This word was translated as a collective singular in keeping with English style.

[2:43]  ²⁸ tn Or “Fear.”

[2:43]  ²⁹ tn Grk “on every soul” (here “soul” is an idiom for the whole person).

[2:43]  ³⁰ tn In this context the miraculous nature of these signs is implied. Cf. BDAG 920 s.v. σημεῖον 2.a.

[2:44]  ³¹ tn Grk “had.”

[2:45]  ³² tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive (“began…”). Since in context this is a description of the beginning of the community of believers, it is more likely that these statements refer to the start of various activities and practices that the early church continued for some time.

[2:45]  ³³ tn It is possible that the first term for property (κτήματα, kthmata) refers to real estate (as later usage seems to indicate) while the second term (ὑπάρξεις, Juparxeis) refers to possessions in general, but it may also be that the two terms are used together for emphasis, simply indicating that all kinds of possessions were being sold. However, if the first term is more specifically a reference to real estate, it foreshadows the incident with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11.

[2:45]  ³⁴ tn Grk “distributing them” (αὐτά, auta). The referent (the proceeds of the sales) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:46]  ³⁵ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[2:46]  ³⁶ tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[2:46]  ³⁷ tn Here κατά (kata) is used as a distributive (BDAG 512 s.v. B.1.d).

[2:46]  ³⁸ sn The term glad (Grk “gladness”) often refers to joy brought about by God’s saving acts (Luke 1:14, 44; also the related verb in 1:47; 10:21).

[2:46]  ³⁹ tn Grk “with gladness and humbleness of hearts.” It is best to understand καρδίας (kardias) as an attributed genitive, with the two nouns it modifies actually listing attributes of the genitive noun which is related to them.

[2:47]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “the favor.”

[2:47]  ⁴¹ tn BDAG 437 s.v. ἡμέρα 2.c has “every day” for this phrase.

[2:2]  ⁴² 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.

[2:2]  ⁴³ tn Or “a noise.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁴ 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).

[2:2]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.

[1:6]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “they began to ask him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. The imperfect tense of the Greek verb ἠρώτων (hrwtwn) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[1:7]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “It is not for you to know.”

[1:8]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “to the ends.”

[1:9]  ⁴⁹ 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.

[1:10]  ⁵⁰ 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.

[1:10]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “behold.”

[2:13]  ⁵² tn Grk “the blessed hope and glorious appearing.”

[2:13]  ⁵³ tn The terms “God and Savior” both refer to the same person, Jesus Christ. This is one of the clearest statements in the NT concerning the deity of Christ. The construction in Greek is known as the Granville Sharp rule, named after the English philanthropist-linguist who first clearly articulated the rule in 1798. Sharp pointed out that in the construction article-noun-καί-noun (where καί [kai] = “and”), when two nouns are singular, personal, and common (i.e., not proper names), they always had the same referent. Illustrations such as “the friend and brother,” “the God and Father,” etc. abound in the NT to prove Sharp’s point. The only issue is whether terms such as “God” and “Savior” could be considered common nouns as opposed to proper names. Sharp and others who followed (such as T. F. Middleton in his masterful The Doctrine of the Greek Article) demonstrated that a proper name in Greek was one that could not be pluralized. Since both “God” (θεός, qeos) and “savior” (σωτήρ, swthr) were occasionally found in the plural, they did not constitute proper names, and hence, do fit Sharp’s rule. Although there have been 200 years of attempts to dislodge Sharp’s rule, all attempts have been futile. Sharp’s rule stands vindicated after all the dust has settled. For more information on Sharp’s rule see ExSyn 270-78, esp. 276. See also 2 Pet 1:1 and Jude 4.

[9:28]  ⁵⁴ sn An allusion to Isa 53:12.

[9:28]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “without sin,” but in context this does not refer to Christ’s sinlessness (as in Heb 4:15) but to the fact that sin is already dealt with by his first coming.

[9:28]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “for salvation.” This may be construed with the verb “await” (those who wait for him to bring them salvation), but the connection with “appear” (as in the translation) is more likely.

[9:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “the first” (referring to the covenant described in Heb 8:7, 13). In the translation the referent (covenant) has been specified for clarity.

[4:13]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.