Acts 11:18

11:18 When they heard this, ¹  they ceased their objections ²  and praised ³  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ⁴  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ⁵ 

Acts 14:27

14:27 When they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported ⁶  all the things God ⁷  had done with them, and that he had opened a door ⁸  of faith for the Gentiles.

Acts 21:25

21:25 But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided ⁹  that they should avoid ¹⁰  meat that has been sacrificed to idols ¹¹  and blood and what has been strangled ¹²  and sexual immorality.”

[11:18]  ¹ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ² tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  ³ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ⁴ sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  ⁵ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[14:27]  ⁶ tn Or “announced.”

[14:27]  ⁷ sn Note that God is the subject of the activity. The outcome of this mission is seen as a confirmation of the mission to the Gentiles.

[14:27]  ⁸ sn On the image of opening, or of the door, see 1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3.

[21:25]  ⁹ tn L&N 13.154 has “‘having decided that they must keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from an animal that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality’ Ac 21:25.”

[21:25]  ¹⁰ tn This is a different Greek word than the one used in Acts 15:20, 29. BDAG 1068 s.v. φυλάσσω 3 has “to be on one’s guard against, look out for, avoid…w. acc. of pers. or thing avoided…Ac 21:25.” The Greek word used in Acts 15:20, 29 is ἀπέχω (apecw). The difference in meaning, although slight, has been maintained in the translation.

[21:25]  ¹¹ tn There is no specific semantic component in the Greek word εἰδωλόθυτος that means “meat” (see BDAG 280 s.v. εἰδωλόθυτος; L&N 5.15). The stem –θυτος means “sacrifice” (referring to an animal sacrificially killed) and thereby implies meat.

[21:25]  ¹² sn What has been strangled. That is, to refrain from eating animals that had been killed without having the blood drained from them. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 17:13-14) Jews were forbidden to eat flesh with the blood still in it (note the preceding provision in this verse, and blood).