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 1:20

1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, ²  and let there be no one to live in it,’ ³  and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ ⁴ 

Acts 2:33

2:33 So then, exalted ⁵  to the right hand ⁶  of God, and having received ⁷  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁸  from the Father, he has poured out ⁹  what you both see and hear.

Acts 2:38

2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized ¹⁰  in the name of Jesus Christ ¹¹  for ¹²  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ¹³ 

Acts 16:3

16:3 Paul wanted Timothy ¹⁴  to accompany him, and he took ¹⁵  him and circumcised ¹⁶  him because of the Jews who were in those places, ¹⁷  for they all knew that his father was Greek. ¹⁸ 

Acts 17:15

17:15 Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, ¹⁹  and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. ²⁰ 

Acts 20:24

20:24 But I do not consider my life ²¹  worth anything ²²  to myself, so that ²³  I may finish my task ²⁴  and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news ²⁵  of God’s grace.

Acts 20:35

20:35 By all these things, ²⁶  I have shown you that by working in this way we must help ²⁷  the weak, ²⁸  and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ²⁹ 

Acts 24:27

24:27 After two years ³⁰  had passed, Porcius Festus ³¹  succeeded Felix, ³²  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ³³ 

Acts 25:16

25:16 I answered them ³⁴  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ³⁵  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ³⁶  and had been given ³⁷  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ³⁸ 

Acts 26:10

26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received ³⁹  from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote ⁴⁰  against them when they were sentenced to death. ⁴¹ 

Acts 26:18

26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ⁴²  from darkness to light and from the power ⁴³  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ⁴⁴  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 28:15

28:15 The brothers from there, ⁴⁵  when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius ⁴⁶  and Three Taverns ⁴⁷  to meet us. When he saw them, ⁴⁸  Paul thanked God and took courage.

[1:8]  ¹ tn Or “to the ends.”

[1:20]  ² tn Or “uninhabited” or “empty.”

[1:20]  ³ sn A quotation from Ps 69:25.

[1:20]  ⁴ tn Or “Let another take his office.”

[2:33]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Here the genitive τοῦ πνεύματος (tou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the promise consists of the Holy Spirit.

[2:33]  ⁷ sn The use of the verb poured out looks back to 2:17-18, where the same verb occurs twice.

[2:38]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[2:38]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ tn Here the genitive τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος (tou Jagiou pneumato") is a genitive of apposition; the gift consists of the Holy Spirit.

[16:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (Timothy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “and taking him he circumcised him.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Paul’s cultural sensitivity showed in his action here. He did not want Timothy’s lack of circumcision to become an issue (1 Cor 9:15-23).

[16:3]  ⁷ tn The verb περιέτεμεν (perietemen) here may be understood as causative (cf. ExSyn 411-12) if Paul did not personally perform the circumcision.

[16:3]  ⁸ tn Or “who lived in the area.”

[16:3]  ⁹ tn The anarthrous predicate nominative has been translated as qualitative (“Greek”) rather than indefinite (“a Greek”).

[17:15]  ⁶ map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[17:15]  ⁷ sn They left. See 1 Thess 3:1-2, which shows they went from here to Thessalonica.

[20:24]  ⁷ tn Grk “soul.”

[20:24]  ⁸ tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”

[20:24]  ⁹ tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”

[20:24]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.

[20:24]  ¹¹ tn Or “to the gospel.”

[20:35]  ⁸ sn The expression By all these things means “In everything I did.”

[20:35]  ⁹ tn Or “must assist.”

[20:35]  ¹⁰ tn Or “the sick.” See Eph 4:28.

[20:35]  ¹¹ sn The saying is similar to Matt 10:8. Service and generosity should be abundant. Interestingly, these exact words are not found in the gospels. Paul must have known of this saying from some other source.

[24:27]  ⁹ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁰ sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹² tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:16]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “to whom I answered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced with a personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 16.

[25:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “any man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos).

[25:16]  ¹² tn Or “has met his accusers in person.”

[25:16]  ¹³ tn Grk “and receives.”

[25:16]  ¹⁴ tn Or “indictment” (a legal technical term). BDAG 273-74 s.v. ἔγκλημα 1 states, “legal t.t.…ἀπολογία περὶ τοῦ ἐ. defense against the accusation Ac 25:16.” L&N 56.6 defines ἔγκλημα (enklhma) as “(a technical, legal term) a formal indictment or accusation brought against someone – ‘indictment, accusation, case.’ …‘and might receive an opportunity for a defense against the indictment’ Ac 25:16.”

[26:10]  ¹¹ tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.

[26:10]  ¹² tn Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone – ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”

[26:10]  ¹³ tn Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).

[26:18]  ¹² sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ¹³ tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[28:15]  ¹³ sn Mention of Christian brothers from there (Rome) shows that God’s message had already spread as far as Italy and the capital of the empire.

[28:15]  ¹⁴ sn The Forum of Appius was a small traveler’s stop on the Appian Way about 43 mi (71 km) south of Rome (BDAG 125 s.v. ᾿Αππίου φόρον). It was described by Horace as “crammed with boatmen and stingy tavernkeepers” (Satires 1.5.3).

[28:15]  ¹⁵ sn Three Taverns was a stop on the Appian Way 33 mi (55 km) south of Rome.

[28:15]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “whom, when he saw [them], Paul.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun here in the translation.