Acts 15:8

15:8 And God, who knows the heart, ¹  has testified ²  to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ³ 

Acts 15:25

15:25 we have unanimously ⁴  decided ⁵  to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

Acts 15:28

15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us ⁶  not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: ⁷ 

Acts 16:21

16:21 and are advocating ⁸  customs that are not lawful for us to accept ⁹  or practice, ¹⁰  since we are ¹¹  Romans.”

Acts 21:18

21:18 The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were there. ¹² 

Acts 21:23

21:23 So do what ¹³  we tell you: We have four men ¹⁴  who have taken ¹⁵  a vow; ¹⁶ 

[15:8]  ¹ sn The expression who knows the heart means “who knows what people think.”

[15:8]  ² tn Or “has borne witness.”

[15:8]  ³ sn By giving them…just as he did to us. The allusion is to the events of Acts 10-11, esp. 10:44-48 and Peter’s remarks in 11:15-18.

[15:25]  ⁴ tn Grk “having become of one mind, we have decided.” This has been translated “we have unanimously decided” to reduce the awkwardness in English.

[15:25]  ⁵ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists this verse under the meaning “it seems best to me, I decide, I resolve.”

[15:28]  ⁷ tn This is the same expression translated “decided” in Acts 15:22, 25. BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists “decide” as a possible gloss for this verse, and this translation would be consistent with the translation of the same expression in Acts 15:22, 25. However, the unusually awkward “the Holy Spirit and we have decided” would result. Given this approach, it would be more natural in English to say “We and the Holy Spirit have decided,” but changing the order removes the emphasis the Greek text gives to the Holy Spirit. Thus, although the similarity to the phrases in 15:22, 25 is obscured, it is better to use the alternate translation “it seems best to me” (also given by BDAG): “it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us.” Again the scope of agreement is highlighted.

[15:28]  ⁸ tn L&N 71.39 translates “indispensable (rules)” while BDAG 358 s.v. ἐπάναγκες has “the necessary things.”

[16:21]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “proclaiming,” but in relation to customs, “advocating” is a closer approximation to the meaning.

[16:21]  ¹¹ tn Or “acknowledge.”

[16:21]  ¹² sn Customs that are not lawful for us to accept or practice. Ironically, the charges are similar to those made against Jesus in Luke 23:2, where Jews argued he was “twisting” their customs. The charge has three elements: (1) a racial element (Jewish); (2) a social element (unlawful); and (3) a traditional element (not their customs).

[16:21]  ¹³ tn Grk “we being Romans.” The participle οὖσιν (ousin) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[21:18]  ¹³ tn BDAG 760 s.v. παραγίνομαι 1 has this use under the broad category of meaning “draw near, come, arrive, be present.”

[21:23]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “do this that.”

[21:23]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “There are four men here.”

[21:23]  ¹⁸ tn L&N 33.469 has “‘there are four men here who have taken a vow’ or ‘we have four men who…’ Ac 21:23.”

[21:23]  ¹⁹ tn On the term for “vow,” see BDAG 416 s.v. εὐχή 2.