Acts 6:5

6:5 The ¹  proposal pleased the entire group, so ²  they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with ³  Philip, ⁴  Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism ⁵  from Antioch. ⁶ 

Acts 6:8

Stephen is Arrested

6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs ⁷  among the people.

Acts 6:15--7:53

6:15 All ⁸  who were sitting in the council ⁹  looked intently at Stephen ¹⁰  and saw his face was like the face of an angel. ¹¹ 

Stephen’s Defense Before the Council

7:1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?” ¹²  7:2 So he replied, ¹³  “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather ¹⁴  Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 7:3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’ ¹⁵  7:4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God ¹⁶  made him move ¹⁷  to this country where you now live. 7:5 He ¹⁸  did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, ¹⁹  not even a foot of ground, ²⁰  yet God ²¹  promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, ²²  even though Abraham ²³  as yet had no child. 7:6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your ²⁴  descendants will be foreigners ²⁵  in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years. ²⁶  7:7 But I will punish ²⁷  the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there ²⁸  and worship ²⁹  me in this place.’ ³⁰  7:8 Then God ³¹  gave Abraham ³²  the covenant ³³  of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old, ³⁴  and Isaac became the father of ³⁵  Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. ³⁶  7:9 The ³⁷  patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold ³⁸  him into Egypt. But ³⁹  God was with him, 7:10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made ⁴⁰  him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 7:11 Then a famine occurred throughout ⁴¹  Egypt and Canaan, causing ⁴²  great suffering, and our ⁴³  ancestors ⁴⁴  could not find food. 7:12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain ⁴⁵  in Egypt, he sent our ancestors ⁴⁶  there ⁴⁷  the first time. 7:13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family ⁴⁸  became known to Pharaoh. 7:14 So Joseph sent a message ⁴⁹  and invited ⁵⁰  his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people ⁵¹  in all. 7:15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, ⁵²  along with our ancestors, ⁵³  7:16 and their bones ⁵⁴  were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money ⁵⁵  from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, ⁵⁶  the people increased greatly in number ⁵⁷  in Egypt, 7:18 until another king who did not know about ⁵⁸  Joseph ruled ⁵⁹  over Egypt. ⁶⁰  7:19 This was the one who exploited ⁶¹  our people ⁶²  and was cruel to our ancestors, ⁶³  forcing them to abandon ⁶⁴  their infants so they would die. ⁶⁵  7:20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful ⁶⁶  to God. For ⁶⁷  three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 7:21 and when he had been abandoned, ⁶⁸  Pharaoh’s daughter adopted ⁶⁹  him and brought him up ⁷⁰  as her own son. 7:22 So Moses was trained ⁷¹  in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful ⁷²  in his words and deeds. 7:23 But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind ⁷³  to visit his fellow countrymen ⁷⁴  the Israelites. ⁷⁵  7:24 When ⁷⁶  he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, ⁷⁷  Moses ⁷⁸  came to his defense ⁷⁹  and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian. 7:25 He thought his own people ⁸⁰  would understand that God was delivering them ⁸¹  through him, ⁸²  but they did not understand. ⁸³  7:26 The next day Moses ⁸⁴  saw two men ⁸⁵  fighting, and tried to make peace between ⁸⁶  them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’ 7:27 But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed ⁸⁷  Moses ⁸⁸  aside, saying, ‘Who made ⁸⁹  you a ruler and judge over us? 7:28 You don’t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ ⁹⁰  7:29 When the man said this, ⁹¹  Moses fled and became a foreigner ⁹²  in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

7:30 “After ⁹³  forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert ⁹⁴  of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. ⁹⁵  7:31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord, 7:32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, ⁹⁶  the God of Abraham, Isaac, ⁹⁷  and Jacob.’ ⁹⁸  Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look more closely. ⁹⁹  7:33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ¹⁰⁰  7:34 I have certainly seen the suffering ¹⁰¹  of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. ¹⁰²  Now ¹⁰³  come, I will send you to Egypt.’ ¹⁰⁴  7:35 This same ¹⁰⁵  Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ ¹⁰⁶  God sent as both ruler and deliverer ¹⁰⁷  through the hand of the angel ¹⁰⁸  who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36 This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs ¹⁰⁹  in the land of Egypt, ¹¹⁰  at ¹¹¹  the Red Sea, and in the wilderness ¹¹²  for forty years. 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ¹¹³  ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ ¹¹⁴  7:38 This is the man who was in the congregation ¹¹⁵  in the wilderness ¹¹⁶  with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, ¹¹⁷  and he ¹¹⁸  received living oracles ¹¹⁹  to give to you. ¹²⁰  7:39 Our ¹²¹  ancestors ¹²²  were unwilling to obey ¹²³  him, but pushed him aside ¹²⁴  and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 7:40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt ¹²⁵  – we do not know what has happened to him!’ ¹²⁶  7:41 At ¹²⁷  that time ¹²⁸  they made an idol in the form of a calf, ¹²⁹  brought ¹³⁰  a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing ¹³¹  in the works of their hands. ¹³²  7:42 But God turned away from them and gave them over ¹³³  to worship the host ¹³⁴  of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices ¹³⁵  forty years in the wilderness, was it, ¹³⁶  house of Israel? 7:43 But you took along the tabernacle ¹³⁷  of Moloch ¹³⁸  and the star of the ¹³⁹  god Rephan, ¹⁴⁰  the images you made to worship, but I will deport ¹⁴¹  you beyond Babylon.’ ¹⁴²  7:44 Our ancestors ¹⁴³  had the tabernacle ¹⁴⁴  of testimony in the wilderness, ¹⁴⁵  just as God ¹⁴⁶  who spoke to Moses ordered him ¹⁴⁷  to make it according to the design he had seen. 7:45 Our ¹⁴⁸  ancestors ¹⁴⁹  received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, ¹⁵⁰  until the time ¹⁵¹  of David. 7:46 He ¹⁵²  found favor ¹⁵³  with ¹⁵⁴  God and asked that he could ¹⁵⁵  find a dwelling place ¹⁵⁶  for the house ¹⁵⁷  of Jacob. 7:47 But Solomon built a house ¹⁵⁸  for him. 7:48 Yet the Most High ¹⁵⁹  does not live in houses made by human hands, ¹⁶⁰  as the prophet says,

7:49 ‘Heaven is my throne,

and earth is the footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,

or what is my resting place? ¹⁶¹ 

7:50 Did my hand ¹⁶²  not make all these things?’ ¹⁶³ 

7:51 “You stubborn ¹⁶⁴  people, with uncircumcised ¹⁶⁵  hearts and ears! ¹⁶⁶  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors ¹⁶⁷  did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors ¹⁶⁸  not persecute? ¹⁶⁹  They ¹⁷⁰  killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, ¹⁷¹  whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! ¹⁷²  7:53 You ¹⁷³  received the law by decrees given by angels, ¹⁷⁴  but you did not obey ¹⁷⁵  it.” ¹⁷⁶ 

Philippians 1:14

1:14 and most of the brothers and sisters, ¹⁷⁷  having confidence in the Lord ¹⁷⁸  because of my imprisonment, now more than ever ¹⁷⁹  dare to speak the word ¹⁸⁰  fearlessly.

Philippians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul ¹⁸¹  and Timothy, slaves ¹⁸²  of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, ¹⁸³  with the overseers ¹⁸⁴  and deacons.

Philippians 2:2

2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, ¹⁸⁵  by having the same love, being united in spirit, ¹⁸⁶  and having one purpose.

Philippians 2:2

2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, ¹⁸⁷  by having the same love, being united in spirit, ¹⁸⁸  and having one purpose.

Philippians 2:1

Christian Unity and Christ’s Humility

2:1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, ¹⁸⁹  any affection or mercy, ¹⁹⁰ 

[6:5]  ¹ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[6:5]  ² tn The translation “so” has been used to indicate the logical sequence in English.

[6:5]  ³ tn “With” is smoother English style for an addition like this. Because of differences between Greek and English style, καί (kai), which occurs between each name in the list, has not been translated except preceding the last element.

[6:5]  ⁴ sn Philip. Note how many of the names in this list are Greek. This suggests that Hellenists were chosen to solve the problem they had been so sensitive about fixing (cf. 6:1).

[6:5]  ⁵ tn Or “a proselyte.”

[6:5]  ⁶ map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.

[6:8]  ⁷ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context. Here the work of miracles extends beyond the Twelve for the first time.

[6:15]  ¹³ tn Grk “And all.” 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.

[6:15]  ¹⁴ tn Or “Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[6:15]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “at him”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:15]  ¹⁶ sn His face was like the face of an angel. This narrative description of Stephen’s face adds to the mood of the passage. He had the appearance of a supernatural, heavenly messenger.

[7:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).

[7:2]  ²⁵ tn Grk “said.”

[7:2]  ²⁶ tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

[7:3]  ³¹ sn A quotation from Gen 12:1.

[7:4]  ³⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:4]  ³⁸ tn The translation “made him move” for the verb μετοικίζω (metoikizw) is given by L&N 85.83. The verb has the idea of “resettling” someone (BDAG 643 s.v.); see v. 43, where it reappears.

[7:5]  ⁴³ tn Grk “And he.” 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.

[7:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “He did not give him an inheritance in it.” This could be understood to mean that God did not give something else to Abraham as an inheritance while he was living there. The point of the text is that God did not give any of the land to him as an inheritance, and the translation makes this clear.

[7:5]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “a step of a foot” (cf. Deut 2:5).

[7:5]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:5]  ⁴⁷ sn An allusion to Gen 12:7; 13:15; 15:2, 18; 17:8; 24:7; 48:4. On the theological importance of the promise and to his descendants after him, see Rom 4 and Gal 3.

[7:5]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:6]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “that his”; the discourse switches from indirect to direct with the following verbs. For consistency the entire quotation is treated as second person direct discourse in the translation.

[7:6]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “will be strangers,” that is, one who lives as a noncitizen of a foreign country.

[7:6]  ⁵¹ sn A quotation from Gen 15:13. Exod 12:40 specifies the sojourn as 430 years.

[7:7]  ⁵⁵ tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α states, “Oft. the emphasis is unmistakably laid upon that which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict, upon the condemnation or punishment: condemn, punish …Ac 7:7 (Gen 15:14).”

[7:7]  ⁵⁶ tn The words “of there” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:7]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “and serve,” but with religious/cultic overtones (BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω).

[7:7]  ⁵⁸ sn An allusion to Exod 3:12.

[7:8]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:8]  ⁶² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:8]  ⁶³ sn God gave…the covenant. Note how the covenant of promise came before Abraham’s entry into the land and before the building of the temple.

[7:8]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “circumcised him on the eighth day,” but many modern readers will not understand that this procedure was done on the eighth day after birth. The temporal clause “when he was eight days old” conveys this idea more clearly. See Gen 17:11-12.

[7:8]  ⁶⁵ tn The words “became the father of” are not in the Greek text due to an ellipsis, but must be supplied for the English translation. The ellipsis picks up the verb from the previous clause describing how Abraham fathered Isaac.

[7:8]  ⁶⁶ sn The twelve patriarchs refers to the twelve sons of Jacob, the famous ancestors of the Jewish race (see Gen 35:23-26).

[7:9]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “And the.” 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.

[7:9]  ⁶⁸ tn The meaning “sell” for the middle voice of ἀποδίδωμι (apodidwmi) is given by BDAG 110 s.v. 5.a. See Gen 37:12-36, esp. v. 28.

[7:9]  ⁶⁹ tn Though the Greek term here is καί (kai), in context this remark is clearly contrastive: Despite the malicious act, God was present and protected Joseph.

[7:10]  ⁷³ tn Or “appointed.” See Gen 41:41-43.

[7:11]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “came upon all Egypt.”

[7:11]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “and,” but logically causal.

[7:11]  ⁸¹ sn Our. Stephen spoke of “our” ancestors (Grk “fathers”) in an inclusive sense throughout the speech until his rebuke in v. 51, where the nation does what “your” ancestors did, at which point an exclusive pronoun is used. This serves to emphasize the rebuke.

[7:11]  ⁸² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:12]  ⁸⁵ tn Or possibly “food,” since in a number of extrabiblical contexts the phrase σιτία καὶ ποτά (sitia kai pota) means “food and drink,” where solid food is contrasted with liquid nourishment (L&N 3.42).

[7:12]  ⁸⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:12]  ⁸⁷ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:13]  ⁹¹ tn BDAG 194 s.v. γένος 2. gives “family, relatives” here; another alternative is “race” (see v. 19).

[7:14]  ⁹⁷ tn The words “a message” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:14]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “Joseph had his father summoned” (BDAG 121 s.v. ἀποστέλλω 2.b).

[7:14]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “souls” (here an idiom for the whole person).

[7:15]  ¹⁰³ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:15]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:16]  ¹⁰⁹ tn “and they.”

[7:16]  ¹¹⁰ sn See Gen 49:29-32.

[7:17]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.

[7:17]  ¹¹⁶ tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”

[7:18]  ¹²¹ tn Or simply “did not know.” However, in this context the point is that the new king knew nothing about Joseph, not whether he had known him personally (which is the way “did not know Joseph” could be understood).

[7:18]  ¹²² tn Grk “arose,” but in this context it clearly refers to a king assuming power.

[7:18]  ¹²³ sn A quotation from Exod 1:8.

[7:19]  ¹²⁷ tn According to L&N 88.147 it is also possible to translate κατασοφισάμενος (katasofisameno") as “took advantage by clever words” or “persuaded by sweet talk.”

[7:19]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “race.”

[7:19]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:19]  ¹³⁰ tn Or “expose” (BDAG 303 s.v. ἔκθετος).

[7:19]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “so that they could not be kept alive,” but in this context the phrase may be translated either “so that they would not continue to live,” or “so that they would die” (L&N 23.89).

[7:20]  ¹³³ tn Or “was well-formed before God,” or “was well-pleasing to God” (BDAG 145 s.v. ἀστεῖος suggests the meaning is more like “well-bred” as far as God was concerned; see Exod 2:2).

[7:20]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “who was brought up for three months.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation by changing the relative pronoun to a regular pronoun (“he”).

[7:21]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “exposed” (see v. 19).

[7:21]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “Pharaoh’s daughter took him up for herself.” According to BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω, “The pap. exx. involve exposed children taken up and reared as slaves…The rendering ‘adopt’ lacks philological precision and can be used only in a loose sense (as NRSV), esp. when Gr-Rom. terminology relating to adoption procedures is taken into account.” In this instance both the immediate context and the OT account (Exod 2:3-10) do support the normal sense of the English word “adopt,” although it should not be understood to refer to a technical, legal event.

[7:21]  ¹⁴¹ tn Or “and reared him” (BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατρέφω b).

[7:22]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Or “instructed.”

[7:22]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “was able” (BDAG 264 s.v. δυνατός 1.b.α).

[7:23]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “heart.”

[7:23]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “brothers.” The translation “compatriot” is given by BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:23]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.”

[7:24]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[7:24]  ¹⁵⁸ tn “Hurt unfairly” conveys a better sense of the seriousness of the offense against the Israelite than “treated unfairly,” which can sometimes refer to slight offenses, or “wronged,” which can refer to offenses that do not involve personal violence, as this one probably did.

[7:24]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:24]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “he defended,” “he retaliated” (BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμύνομαι).

[7:25]  ¹⁶³ tn Grk “his brothers.”

[7:25]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Grk “was granting them deliverance.” The narrator explains that this act pictured what Moses could do for his people.

[7:25]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Grk “by his hand,” where the hand is a metaphor for the entire person.

[7:25]  ¹⁶⁶ sn They did not understand. Here is the theme of the speech. The people did not understand what God was doing through those he chose. They made the same mistake with Joseph at first. See Acts 3:17; 13:27. There is good precedent for this kind of challenging review of history in the ancient scriptures: Ps 106:6-46; Ezek 20; and Neh 9:6-38.

[7:26]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:26]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “saw them”; the context makes clear that two individuals were involved (v. 27).

[7:26]  ¹⁷¹ tn Or “tried to reconcile” (BDAG 964-65 s.v. συναλλάσσω).

[7:27]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Or “repudiated Moses,” “rejected Moses” (BDAG 126-27 s.v. ἀπωθέω 2).

[7:27]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:27]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “appointed.”

[7:28]  ¹⁸¹ tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do you?”

[7:29]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “At this word,” which could be translated either “when the man said this” or “when Moses heard this.” Since λόγος (logos) refers to the remark made by the Israelite, this translation has followed the first option.

[7:29]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “resident alien.” Traditionally πάροικος (paroiko") has been translated “stranger” or “alien,” but the level of specificity employed with “foreigner” or “resident alien” is now necessary in contemporary English because a “stranger” is a person not acquainted with someone, while an “alien” can suggest science fiction imagery.

[7:30]  ¹⁹³ tn Grk “And after.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and contemporary English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[7:30]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Or “wilderness.”

[7:30]  ¹⁹⁵ sn An allusion to Exod 3:2.

[7:32]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Or “ancestors”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:32]  ²⁰⁰ tn Grk “and Isaac,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:32]  ²⁰¹ sn A quotation from Exod 3:6. The phrase suggests the God of promise, the God of the nation.

[7:32]  ²⁰² tn Or “to investigate,” “to contemplate” (BDAG 522 s.v. κατανοέω 2).

[7:33]  ²⁰⁵ sn A quotation from Exod 3:5. The phrase holy ground points to the fact that God is not limited to a particular locale. The place where he is active in revealing himself is a holy place.

[7:34]  ²¹¹ tn Or “mistreatment.”

[7:34]  ²¹² tn Or “to set them free.”

[7:34]  ²¹³ tn Grk “And now.” 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.

[7:34]  ²¹⁴ sn A quotation from Exod 3:7-8, 10.

[7:35]  ²¹⁷ sn This same. The reference to “this one” occurs five times in this speech. It is the way the other speeches in Acts refer to Jesus (e.g., Acts 2:23).

[7:35]  ²¹⁸ sn A quotation from Exod 2:14 (see Acts 7:27). God saw Moses very differently than the people of the nation did. The reference to a ruler and a judge suggests that Stephen set up a comparison between Moses and Jesus, but he never finished his speech to make the point. The reader of Acts, however, knowing the other sermons in the book, recognizes that the rejection of Jesus is the counterpoint.

[7:35]  ²¹⁹ tn Or “liberator.” The meaning “liberator” for λυτρωτήν (lutrwthn) is given in L&N 37.129: “a person who liberates or releases others.”

[7:35]  ²²⁰ tn Or simply “through the angel.” Here the “hand” could be understood as a figure for the person or the power of the angel himself. The remark about the angel appearing fits the first century Jewish view that God appears to no one (John 1:14-18; Gal 3:19; Deut 33:2 LXX).

[7:36]  ²²³ tn Here the context indicates the miraculous nature of the signs mentioned.

[7:36]  ²²⁴ tn Or simply “in Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

[7:36]  ²²⁵ tn Grk “and at,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:36]  ²²⁶ tn Or “desert.”

[7:37]  ²²⁹ tn Grk “to the sons of Israel.”

[7:37]  ²³⁰ sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. This quotation sets up Jesus as the “leader-prophet” like Moses (Acts 3:22; Luke 9:35).

[7:38]  ²³⁵ tn This term, ἐκκλησία (ekklhsia), is a secular use of the term that came to mean “church” in the epistles. Here a reference to an assembly is all that is intended.

[7:38]  ²³⁶ tn Or “desert.”

[7:38]  ²³⁷ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:38]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “fathers, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new clause introduced by “and” was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[7:38]  ²³⁹ tn Or “messages.” This is an allusion to the law given to Moses.

[7:38]  ²⁴⁰ tc ‡ The first person pronoun ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “to us”) is read by A C D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy, while the second person pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”) is read by Ì⁷⁴ א B 36 453 al co. The second person pronoun thus has significantly better external support. As well, ὑμῖν is a harder reading in this context, both because it is surrounded by first person pronouns and because Stephen perhaps “does not wish to disassociate himself from those who received God’s revelation in the past, but only from those who misinterpreted and disobeyed that revelation” (TCGNT 307). At the same time, Stephen does associate himself to some degree with his disobedient ancestors in v. 39, suggesting that the decisive break does not really come until v. 51 (where both his present audience and their ancestors are viewed as rebellious). Thus, both externally and internally ὑμῖν is the preferred reading.

[7:39]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “whom our.” The continuation of the sentence as a relative clause is awkward in English, so a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

[7:39]  ²⁴² tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:39]  ²⁴³ sn To obey. Again the theme of the speech is noted. The nation disobeyed the way of God and opted for Egypt over the promised land.

[7:39]  ²⁴⁴ sn Pushed him aside. This is the second time Moses is “pushed aside” in Stephen’s account (see v. 27).

[7:40]  ²⁴⁷ tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

[7:40]  ²⁴⁸ sn A quotation from Exod 32:1, 23. Doubt (we do not know what has happened to him) expresses itself in unfaithful action. The act is in contrast to God’s promise in Exod 23:20.

[7:41]  ²⁵³ tn Grk “And.” 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.

[7:41]  ²⁵⁴ tn Grk “In those days.”

[7:41]  ²⁵⁵ tn Or “a bull calf” (see Exod 32:4-6). The term μοσχοποιέω (moscopoiew) occurs only in Christian writings according to BDAG 660 s.v.

[7:41]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “and brought,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[7:41]  ²⁵⁷ tn The imperfect verb εὐφραίνοντο (eufrainonto) has been translated ingressively. See BDAG 414-15 s.v. εὐφραίνω 2.

[7:41]  ²⁵⁸ tn Or “in what they had done.”

[7:42]  ²⁵⁹ sn The expression and gave them over suggests similarities to the judgment on the nations described by Paul in Rom 1:18-32.

[7:42]  ²⁶⁰ tn Or “stars.”

[7:42]  ²⁶¹ tn The two terms for sacrifices “semantically reinforce one another and are here combined essentially for emphasis” (L&N 53.20).

[7:42]  ²⁶² tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question, “was it?”

[7:43]  ²⁶⁵ tn Or “tent.”

[7:43]  ²⁶⁶ sn Moloch was a Canaanite deity who was believed to be the god of the sky and the sun.

[7:43]  ²⁶⁷ tc ‡ Most mss, including several important ones (Ì⁷⁴ א A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï h p vg sy^h mae bo Cyr), have ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here, in conformity with the LXX of Amos 5:26. But other significant and diverse witnesses lack the pronoun: The lack of ὑμῶν in B D 36 453 gig sy^p sa Ir^lat Or is difficult to explain if it is not the original wording here. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[7:43]  ²⁶⁸ sn Rephan (῾Ραιφάν, RJaifan) was a pagan deity. The term was a name for Saturn. It was variously spelled in the mss (BDAG 903 s.v. has Rompha as an alternate spelling). The references cover a range of deities and a history of unfaithfulness.

[7:43]  ²⁶⁹ tn Or “I will make you move.”

[7:43]  ²⁷⁰ sn A quotation from Amos 5:25-27. This constituted a prediction of the exile.

[7:44]  ²⁷¹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:44]  ²⁷² tn Or “tent.”

[7:44]  ²⁷³ tn Or “desert.”

[7:44]  ²⁷⁴ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:44]  ²⁷⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[7:45]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “And.” 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.

[7:45]  ²⁷⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ²⁷⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ²⁸⁰ tn Grk “In those days.”

[7:46]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “David, who” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style.

[7:46]  ²⁸⁴ tn Or “grace.”

[7:46]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “before,” “in the presence of.”

[7:46]  ²⁸⁶ tn The words “that he could” are not in the Greek text, but are implied as the (understood) subject of the infinitive εὑρεῖν (Jeurein). This understands David’s request as asking that he might find the dwelling place. The other possibility would be to supply “that God” as the subject of the infinitive: “and asked that God find a dwelling place.” Unfortunately this problem is complicated by the extremely difficult problem with the Greek text in the following phrase (“house of Jacob” vs. “God of Jacob”).

[7:46]  ²⁸⁷ tn On this term see BDAG 929 s.v. σκήνωμα a (Ps 132:5).

[7:46]  ²⁸⁸ tc Some mss read θεῷ (qew, “God”) here, a variant much easier to understand in the context. The reading “God” is supported by א² A C E Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat sy co. The more difficult οἴκῳ (oikw, “house”) is supported by Ì⁷⁴ א* B D H 049 pc. Thus the second reading is preferred both externally because of better ms evidence and internally because it is hard to see how a copyist finding the reading “God” would change it to “house,” while it is easy to see how (given the LXX of Ps 132:5) a copyist might assimilate the reading and change “house” to “God.” However, some scholars think the reading “house” is so difficult as to be unacceptable. Others (like Lachmann and Hort) resorted to conjectural emendation at this point. Others (Ropes) sought an answer in an underlying Aramaic expression. Not everyone thinks the reading “house” is too difficult to be accepted as original (see Lake and Cadbury). A. F. J. Klijn, “Stephen’s Speech – Acts vii.2-53,” NTS 4 (1957): 25-31, compared the idea of a “house within the house of Israel” with the Manual of Discipline from Qumran, a possible parallel that seems to support the reading “house” as authentic. (For the more detailed discussion from which this note was derived, see TCGNT 308-9.)

[7:47]  ²⁸⁹ sn See 1 Kgs 8:1-21.

[7:48]  ²⁹⁵ sn The title the Most High points to God’s majesty (Heb 7:1; Luke 1:32, 35; Acts 16:7).

[7:48]  ²⁹⁶ sn The phrase made by human hands is negative in the NT: Mark 14:58; Acts 17:24; Eph 2:11; Heb 9:11, 24. It suggests “man-made” or “impermanent.” The rebuke is like parts of the Hebrew scripture where the rebuke is not of the temple, but for making too much of it (1 Kgs 8:27; Isa 57:15; 1 Chr 6:8; Jer 7:1-34).

[7:49]  ³⁰¹ sn What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.

[7:50]  ³⁰⁷ tn Or “Did I.” The phrase “my hand” is ultimately a metaphor for God himself.

[7:50]  ³⁰⁸ tn The question in Greek introduced with οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply.

[7:51]  ³¹³ sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

[7:51]  ³¹⁴ tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

[7:51]  ³¹⁵ tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

[7:51]  ³¹⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:52]  ³¹⁹ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:52]  ³²⁰ sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.

[7:52]  ³²¹ tn Grk “And they.” 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.

[7:52]  ³²² sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.

[7:52]  ³²³ sn Whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. The harsh critique has OT precedent (1 Kgs 19:10-14; Neh 9:26; 2 Chr 36:16).

[7:53]  ³²⁵ tn Grk “whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, who received the law” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “You” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[7:53]  ³²⁶ tn Traditionally, “as ordained by angels,” but εἰς (eis) with the accusative here should be understood as instrumental (a substitute for ἐν [en]); so BDAG 291 s.v. εἰς 9, BDF §206. Thus the phrase literally means “received the law by the decrees [orders] of angels” with the genitive understood as a subjective genitive, that is, the angels gave the decrees.

[7:53]  ³²⁷ tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

[7:53]  ³²⁸ tn Or “did not obey it.”

[1:14]  ³³¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:14]  ³³² tn Or “most of the brothers and sisters in the Lord, having confidence.”

[1:14]  ³³³ tn Grk “even more so.”

[1:14]  ³³⁴ tc A number of significant mss have “of God” after “word.” Although τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) is amply supported in the Alexandrian and Western texts (א A B [D*] P Ψ 048^vid 075 0278 33 81 1175 al lat co), the omission is difficult to explain as either an intentional deletion or unintentional oversight. To be sure, the pedigree of the witnesses is not nearly as great for the shorter reading (Ì⁴⁶ D² 1739 1881 Ï), but it explains well the rise of the other reading. Further, it explains the rise of κυρίου (kuriou, “of the Lord”), the reading of F and G (for if these mss had followed a Vorlage with τοῦ θεοῦ, κυρίου would not have been expected). Further, τοῦ θεοῦ is in different locations among the mss; such dislocations are usually signs of scribal additions to the text. Thus, the Byzantine text and a few other witnesses here have the superior reading, and it should be accepted as the original.

[1:1]  ³³⁷ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ³³⁸ tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” 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.

[1:1]  ³³⁹ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[1:1]  ³⁴⁰ sn The overseers (or “church leaders,” L&N 53.71) is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in Titus 1:6-7 and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between Titus 1:6-7 and 1 Tim 3:1-7.

[2:2]  ³⁴³ tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”

[2:2]  ³⁴⁴ tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).

[2:2]  ³⁴⁹ tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”

[2:2]  ³⁵⁰ tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).

[2:1]  ³⁵⁵ tn Or “spiritual fellowship” if πνεύματος (pneumato") is an attributive genitive; or “fellowship brought about by the Spirit” if πνεύματος is a genitive of source or production.

[2:1]  ³⁵⁶ tn Grk “and any affection and mercy.” The Greek idea, however, is best expressed by “or” in English.