Acts 2:5-11

2:5 Now there were devout Jews ¹  from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. ²  2:6 When this sound ³  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ⁴  because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ⁵  “Aren’t ⁶  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ⁷  in our own native language? ⁸  2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, ⁹  2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, ¹⁰  and visitors from Rome, ¹¹  2:11 both Jews and proselytes, ¹²  Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” ¹³ 

Acts 26:20

26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ¹⁴  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ¹⁵  performing deeds consistent with ¹⁶  repentance.

Acts 28:23

28:23 They set ¹⁷  a day to meet with him, ¹⁸  and they came to him where he was staying ¹⁹  in even greater numbers. ²⁰  From morning until evening he explained things ²¹  to them, ²²  testifying ²³  about the kingdom of God ²⁴  and trying to convince ²⁵  them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets.

[2:5]  ¹ tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17, 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikew) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (ajnhr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.

[2:5]  ² tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”

[2:6]  ³ tn Or “this noise.”

[2:6]  ⁴ tn Or “was bewildered.”

[2:7]  ⁵ tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).

[2:7]  ⁶ tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:8]  ⁷ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ⁸ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”

[2:9]  ⁹ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[2:10]  ¹⁰ tn According to BDAG 595 s.v. Λιβύη, the western part of Libya, Libya Cyrenaica, is referred to here (see also Josephus, Ant. 16.6.1 [16.160] for a similar phrase).

[2:10]  ¹¹ map For location see JP4 A1.

[2:11]  ¹² sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.

[2:11]  ¹³ tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.

[26:20]  ¹⁴ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ¹⁵ sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ¹⁶ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.

[28:23]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23]  ¹⁹ tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23]  ²⁰ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23]  ²¹ tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[28:23]  ²² tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:23]  ²³ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”

[28:23]  ²⁴ sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.

[28:23]  ²⁵ tn Or “persuade.”