Acts 4:27

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ¹  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ² 

Acts 7:45

7:45 Our ³  ancestors ⁴  received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, ⁵  until the time ⁶  of David.

Acts 9:15

9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument ⁷  to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. ⁸ 

Acts 15:3

15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ⁹  and Samaria, they were relating at length ¹⁰  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ¹¹  to all the brothers.

Acts 15:12

15:12 The whole group kept quiet ¹²  and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs ¹³  and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

Acts 15:17

15:17 so that the rest of humanity ¹⁴  may seek the Lord,

namely, ¹⁵  all the Gentiles ¹⁶  I have called to be my own,’ ¹⁷  says the Lord, ¹⁸  who makes these things

Acts 18:6

18:6 When they opposed him ¹⁹  and reviled him, ²⁰  he protested by shaking out his clothes ²¹  and said to them, “Your blood ²²  be on your own heads! I am guiltless! ²³  From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”

Acts 21:21

21:21 They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living ²⁴  among the Gentiles to abandon ²⁵  Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children ²⁶  or live ²⁷  according to our customs.

Acts 24:2

24:2 When Paul ²⁸  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ²⁹  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ³⁰  of peace through your rule, ³¹  and reforms ³²  are being made in this nation ³³  through your foresight. ³⁴ 

Acts 24:10

Paul’s Defense Before Felix

24:10 When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know ³⁵  that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense. ³⁶ 

Acts 26:20

26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ³⁷  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ³⁸  performing deeds consistent with ³⁹  repentance.

[4:27]  ¹ sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.

[4:27]  ² sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”

[7:45]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[7:45]  ⁶ tn Grk “In those days.”

[9:15]  ⁵ tn Or “tool.”

[9:15]  ⁶ tn Grk “the sons of Israel.” In Acts, Paul is a minister to all nations, including Israel (Rom 1:16-17).

[15:3]  ⁷ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ⁸ tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.

[15:3]  ⁹ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[15:12]  ⁹ tn BDAG 922 s.v. σιγάω 1.a lists this passage under the meaning “say nothing, keep still, keep silent.”

[15:12]  ¹⁰ tn Here in connection with τέρατα (terata) the miraculous nature of these signs is indicated.

[15:17]  ¹¹ tn Or “so that all other people.” The use of this term follows Amos 9:11 LXX.

[15:17]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) introduces an explanatory clause that explains the preceding phrase “the rest of humanity.” The clause introduced by καί (kai) could also be punctuated in English as a parenthesis.

[15:17]  ¹³ tn Or “all the nations” (in Greek the word for “nation” and “Gentile” is the same).

[15:17]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “all the Gentiles on whom my name has been called.” Based on well-attested OT usage, the passive of ἐπικαλέω (epikalew) here indicates God’s ownership (“all the Gentiles who belong to me”) or calling (“all the Gentiles whom I have called to be my own”). See L&N 11.28.

[15:17]  ¹⁵ sn A quotation from Amos 9:11-12 LXX. James demonstrated a high degree of cultural sensitivity when he cited a version of the text (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that Gentiles would use.

[18:6]  ¹³ 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.

[18:6]  ¹⁴ tn The participle βλασφημούντων (blasfhmountwn) has been taken temporally. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 13:45. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). What they were doing was more like slander or defamation of character.

[18:6]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “shaking out his clothes, he said to them.” L&N 16:8 translates Acts 18:6 “when they opposed him and said evil things about him, he protested by shaking the dust from his clothes.” The addition of the verb “protested by” in the translation is necessary to clarify for the modern reader that this is a symbolic action. It is similar but not identical to the phrase in Acts 13:51, where the dust from the feet is shaken off. The participle ἐκτιναξάμενος (ektinaxameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:6]  ¹⁶ sn Your blood be on your own heads! By invoking this epithet Paul declared himself not responsible for their actions in rejecting Jesus whom Paul preached (cf. Ezek 33:4; 3:6-21; Matt 23:35; 27:25).

[18:6]  ¹⁷ tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”

[21:21]  ¹⁵ tn BDAG 511 s.v. κατά B.1.a has “τοὺς κ. τὰ ἔθνη ᾿Ιουδαίους the Judeans (dispersed) throughout the nations 21:21.” The Jews in view are not those in Palestine, but those who are scattered throughout the Gentile world.

[21:21]  ¹⁶ tn Or “to forsake,” “to rebel against.” BDAG 120 s.v. ἀποστασία has “ἀποστασίαν διδάσκεις ἀπὸ Μωϋσέως you teach (Judeans) to abandon Moses Ac 21:21.”

[21:21]  ¹⁷ sn That is, not to circumcise their male children. Biblical references to circumcision always refer to male circumcision.

[21:21]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “or walk.”

[24:2]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ¹⁸ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ²⁰ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ²¹ tn This term is used only once in the NT (a hapax legomenon). It refers to improvements in internal administration (BDAG 251 s.v. διόρθωμα).

[24:2]  ²² tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ²³ sn References to peaceful rule, reforms, and the governor’s foresight in the opening address by Tertullus represent an attempt to praise the governor and thus make him favorable to the case. Actual descriptions of his rule portray him as inept (Tacitus, Annals 12.54; Josephus, J. W. 2.13.2-7 [2.253-270]).

[24:10]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “knowing.” The participle ἐπιστάμενος (epistamenos) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[24:10]  ²⁰ sn “Because…defense.” Paul also paid an indirect compliment to the governor, implying that he would be fair in his judgment.

[26:20]  ²¹ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ²² sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ²³ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.