Acts 5:18-20

5:18 They ¹  laid hands on ²  the apostles and put them in a public jail. 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord ³  opened ⁴  the doors of the prison, ⁵  led them out, ⁶  and said, 5:20 “Go and stand in the temple courts ⁷  and proclaim ⁸  to the people all the words of this life.”

[5:18]  ¹ tn Grk “jealousy, and they.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but a new sentence has been started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[5:18]  ² tn Or “they arrested.”

[5:19]  ³ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[5:19]  ⁴ tn Grk “opening the doors of the prison.” The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to the requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:19]  ⁵ tn Greek φυλακῆς (fulakh"), a different word from the one in v. 18 (τήρησις, thrhsi", “jail”).

[5:19]  ⁶ tn Or “brought them out.” Grk “and leading them out, said.” The participle ἐξαγαγών (exagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[5:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[5:20]  ⁸ tn Or “speak.”