Acts 1:11

1:11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here ¹  looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven ²  will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 4:16

4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ³  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ⁴  has come about through them, ⁵  and we cannot deny it.

Acts 5:3-4

5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled ⁶  your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of ⁷  the land? 5:4 Before it was sold, ⁸  did it not ⁹  belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money ¹⁰  not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? ¹¹  You have not lied to people ¹²  but to God!”

Acts 5:9

5:9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!”

Acts 7:35

7:35 This same ¹³  Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ ¹⁴  God sent as both ruler and deliverer ¹⁵  through the hand of the angel ¹⁶  who appeared to him in the bush.

Acts 7:40

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 ¹⁷  – we do not know what has happened to him!’ ¹⁸ 

Acts 7:49

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? ¹⁹ 

Acts 7:52

7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors ²⁰  not persecute? ²¹  They ²²  killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, ²³  whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! ²⁴ 

Acts 10:4

10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ²⁵  replied, ²⁶  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ²⁷  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ²⁸  have gone up as a memorial ²⁹  before God.

Acts 10:17

10:17 Now while Peter was puzzling over ³⁰  what the vision he had seen could signify, the men sent by Cornelius had learned where Simon’s house was ³¹  and approached ³²  the gate.

Acts 11:17

11:17 Therefore if God ³³  gave them the same gift ³⁴  as he also gave us after believing ³⁵  in the Lord Jesus Christ, ³⁶  who was I to hinder ³⁷  God?”

Acts 13:25

13:25 But while John was completing his mission, ³⁸  he said repeatedly, ³⁹  ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’ ⁴⁰ 

Acts 19:35

19:35 After the city secretary ⁴¹  quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, what person ⁴²  is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the keeper ⁴³  of the temple of the great Artemis ⁴⁴  and of her image that fell from heaven? ⁴⁵ 

Acts 21:13

21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ⁴⁶  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ⁴⁷  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Acts 22:10

22:10 So I asked, ⁴⁸  ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up ⁴⁹  and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything ⁵⁰  that you have been designated ⁵¹  to do.’

Acts 22:30

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer ⁵²  wanted to know the true reason ⁵³  Paul ⁵⁴  was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council ⁵⁵  to assemble. He then brought ⁵⁶  Paul down and had him stand before them.

Acts 26:14

26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ⁵⁷  ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself ⁵⁸  by kicking against the goads.’ ⁵⁹ 

[1:11]  ¹ tn The word “here” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[1:11]  ² tc Codex Bezae (D) and several other witnesses lack the words εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν (ei" ton ouranon, “into heaven”) here, most likely by way of accidental deletion. In any event, it is hardly correct to suppose that the Western text has intentionally suppressed references to the ascension of Christ here, for the phrase is solidly attested in the final clause of the verse.

[4:16]  ³ tn Or “evident.”

[4:16]  ⁴ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.

[4:16]  ⁵ tn Or “has been done by them.”

[5:3]  ⁵ sn This is a good example of the Greek verb fill (πληρόω, plhrow) meaning “to exercise control over someone’s thought and action” (cf. Eph 5:18).

[5:3]  ⁶ tn The words “from the sale of” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the meaning, since the phrase “proceeds from the land” could possibly be understood as crops rather than money from the sale.

[5:4]  ⁷ tn Grk “Remaining to you.”

[5:4]  ⁸ tn The negative interrogative particle οὐχί (ouci) expects a positive reply to this question and the following one (“And when it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”).

[5:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “it”; the referent of the pronoun (the money generated from the sale of the land) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “How is it that you have [or Why have you] placed this deed in your heart?” Both of these literal translations differ from the normal way of expressing the thought in English.

[5:4]  ¹¹ tn Grk “to men.” If Peter’s remark refers only to the apostles, the translation “to men” would be appropriate. But if (as is likely) the action was taken to impress the entire congregation (who would presumably have witnessed the donation or been aware of it) then the more general “to people” is more appropriate, since the audience would have included both men and women.

[7:35]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² 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).

[7:40]  ¹¹ tn Or simply “of Egypt.” The phrase “the land of” could be omitted as unnecessary or redundant.

[7:40]  ¹² 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.

[7:49]  ¹³ sn What kind…resting place? The rhetorical questions suggest mere human beings cannot build a house to contain God.

[7:52]  ¹⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:52]  ¹⁶ sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.

[7:52]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.

[7:52]  ¹⁹ 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).

[10:4]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ²⁰ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ²¹ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[10:17]  ¹⁹ tn Or “was greatly confused over.” The term means to be perplexed or at a loss (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπορέω).

[10:17]  ²⁰ tn Grk “having learned.” The participle διερωτήσαντες (dierwthsante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[10:17]  ²¹ tn BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1 has “ἐπί τι approach or stand by someth. (Sir 41:24) Ac 10:17.”

[11:17]  ²¹ tc Codex Bezae (D) and {a few other Western witnesses} here lack ὁ θεός (Jo qeo", “God”), perhaps because these scribes considered the Holy Spirit to be the gift of Christ rather than the gift of God; thus leaving the subject implicit would naturally draw the reader back to v. 16 to see the Lord Jesus as the bestower of the Spirit.

[11:17]  ²² sn That is, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.

[11:17]  ²³ tn Or “gave us when we believed”; or “gave us after we believed”; or “gave us who believed”; or “gave them when they believed the same gift as he also gave us.” The aorist dative plural participle πιστεύσασιν (pisteusasin) can be understood in several different ways: (1) It could modify ἡμῖν (Jhmin, “us”) or αὐτοῖς (autois, “them”). Proximity (it immediately follows ἡμῖν) would suggest that it belongs with ἡμῖν, so the last option (“gave them when they believed the same gift he also gave us”) is less likely. (2) The participle could be either adverbial or adjectival, modifying ἡμῖν. This decision is primarily a contextual one. The point Peter made is not whether or not the Gentiles believed, since both groups (“us” and “they”) had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The point was whether or not the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed, just as Jewish Christians had received the Spirit on the day of Pentecost when they believed. Translated as an adjectival participle, πιστεύσασιν only affirms the fact of belief, however, and raises somewhat of a theological problem if one realizes, “Would God have given the Gentiles the Spirit if they had not believed?” (In other words, belief in itself is a theological prerequisite for receiving the Spirit. As such, in the case of the Gentiles, it is assumed.) Thus in context it makes more sense to understand the participle πιστεύσασιν as adverbial, related to the time of belief in connection with the giving of the Spirit. (3) The participle πιστεύσασιν as a temporal participle can refer to action antecedent to the action of the main verb ἔδωκεν (edwken) or contemporaneous with it. Logically, at least, the gift of the Spirit followed belief in the case of the original Christians, who had believed before the day of Pentecost. In the case of Cornelius and his household, belief and the reception of the Spirit were virtually simultaneous. One can argue that Peter is “summarizing” the experience of Jewish Christians, and therefore the actions of belief and reception of the Spirit, while historically separate, have been “telescoped” into one (“gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed”), but to be technically accurate the participle πιστεύσασιν should be translated “gave them the same gift as he also gave us after we believed.” A number of these problems can be avoided, however, by using a translation in English that maintains some of the ambiguity of the Greek original. Thus “if God gave them the same gift as he also gave us after believing” is used, where the phrase “after believing” can refer either to “them” or to “us,” or both.

[11:17]  ²⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[11:17]  ²⁵ tn Or “prevent,” “forbid” (BDAG 580 s.v. κωλύω 1.a). Peter’s point is that he will not stand in the way of God.

[13:25]  ²³ tn Or “task.”

[13:25]  ²⁴ tn The verb ἔλεγεν (elegen) has been translated as an iterative imperfect, since John undoubtedly said this or something similar on numerous occasions.

[13:25]  ²⁵ tn Literally a relative clause, “of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of his feet.” Because of the awkwardness of this construction in English, a new sentence was begun here.

[19:35]  ²⁵ tn Or “clerk.” The “scribe” (γραμματεύς, grammateu") was the keeper of the city’s records.

[19:35]  ²⁶ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo").

[19:35]  ²⁷ tn See BDAG 670 s.v. νεωκόρος. The city is described as the “warden” or “guardian” of the goddess and her temple.

[19:35]  ²⁸ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus.

[19:35]  ²⁹ tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[21:13]  ²⁷ tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13]  ²⁸ tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.

[22:10]  ²⁹ tn Grk “So I said.”

[22:10]  ³⁰ tn Grk “Getting up.” The participle ἀναστάς (anasta") is an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance and has been translated as a finite verb.

[22:10]  ³¹ tn Grk “about all things.”

[22:10]  ³² tn Or “assigned,” “ordered.” BDAG 991 s.v. τάσσω 2.a has “act. and pass., foll. by acc. w. inf.…περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι concerning everything that you have been ordered to do 22:10.” There is an allusion to a divine call and commission here.

[22:30]  ³¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ³² tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”

[22:30]  ³³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30]  ³⁴ tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.

[26:14]  ³³ tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.

[26:14]  ³⁴ tn Grk “It is hard for you.”

[26:14]  ³⁵ tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.