Acts 5:21

5:21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts ¹  at daybreak and began teaching. ² 

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin ³  – that is, the whole high council ⁴  of the Israelites ⁵  – and sent to the jail to have the apostles ⁶  brought before them. ⁷ 

Acts 10:22

10:22 They said, “Cornelius the centurion, ⁸  a righteous ⁹  and God-fearing man, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, ¹⁰  was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message ¹¹  from you.”

Acts 12:7

12:7 Suddenly ¹²  an angel of the Lord ¹³  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ¹⁴  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ¹⁵  wrists. ¹⁶ 

Acts 14:15

14:15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures ¹⁷  just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn ¹⁸  from these worthless ¹⁹  things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, ²⁰  the sea, and everything that is in them.

Acts 17:18

17:18 Also some of the Epicurean ²¹  and Stoic ²²  philosophers were conversing ²³  with him, and some were asking, ²⁴  “What does this foolish babbler ²⁵  want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” ²⁶  (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ²⁷ 

Acts 21:26

21:26 Then Paul took the men the next day, ²⁸  and after he had purified himself ²⁹  along with them, he went to the temple and gave notice ³⁰  of the completion of the days of purification, ³¹  when ³²  the sacrifice would be offered for each ³³  of them.

Acts 25:24

25:24 Then Festus ³⁴  said, “King Agrippa, ³⁵  and all you who are present here with us, you see this man about whom the entire Jewish populace ³⁶  petitioned ³⁷  me both in Jerusalem ³⁸  and here, ³⁹  shouting loudly ⁴⁰  that he ought not to live any longer.

Acts 28:23

28:23 They set ⁴¹  a day to meet with him, ⁴²  and they came to him where he was staying ⁴³  in even greater numbers. ⁴⁴  From morning until evening he explained things ⁴⁵  to them, ⁴⁶  testifying ⁴⁷  about the kingdom of God ⁴⁸  and trying to convince ⁴⁹  them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets.

[5:21]  ¹ tn Grk “the temple.” See the note on the same phrase in the preceding verse.

[5:21]  ² tn The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκον (edidaskon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[5:21]  ³ tn Or “the council” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[5:21]  ⁴ tn A hendiadys (two different terms referring to a single thing) is likely here (a reference to a single legislative body rather than two separate ones) because the term γερουσίαν (gerousian) is used in both 1 Macc 12:6 and Josephus, Ant. 13.5.8 (13.166) to refer to the Sanhedrin.

[5:21]  ⁵ tn Grk “sons of Israel.”

[5:21]  ⁶ tn Grk “have them”; the referent (the apostles) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:21]  ⁷ tn The words “before them” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[10:22]  ⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[10:22]  ⁹ tn Or “just.”

[10:22]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων (tou eqnou" twn Ioudaiwn) is virtually a technical term for the Jewish nation (1 Macc 10:25; 11:30, 33; Josephus, Ant. 14.10.22 [14.248]). “All the Jewish people,” while another possible translation of the Greek phrase, does not convey the technical sense of a reference to the nation in English.

[10:22]  ¹¹ tn Grk “hear words.”

[12:7]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “And behold.” 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. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.

[12:7]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:7]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[14:15]  ²² tn Grk “with the same kinds of feelings,” L&N 25.32. BDAG 706 s.v. ὁμοιοπαθής translates the phrase “with the same nature τινί as someone.” In the immediate context, the contrast is between human and divine nature, and the point is that Paul and Barnabas are mere mortals, not gods.

[14:15]  ²³ tn Grk “in order that you should turn,” with ἐπιστρέφειν (epistrefein) as an infinitive of purpose, but this is somewhat awkward contemporary English. To translate the infinitive construction “proclaim the good news, that you should turn,” which is much smoother English, could give the impression that the infinitive clause is actually the content of the good news, which it is not. The somewhat less formal “to get you to turn” would work, but might convey to some readers manipulativeness on the part of the apostles. Thus “proclaim the good news, so that you should turn,” is used, to convey that the purpose of the proclamation of good news is the response by the hearers. The emphasis here is like 1 Thess 1:9-10.

[14:15]  ²⁴ tn Or “useless,” “futile.” The reference is to idols and idolatry, worshiping the creation over the Creator (Rom 1:18-32). See also 1 Kgs 16:2, 13, 26; 2 Kgs 17:15; Jer 2:5; 8:19; 3 Macc 6:11.

[14:15]  ²⁵ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[17:18]  ²⁹ sn An Epicurean was a follower of the philosophy of Epicurus, who founded a school in Athens about 300 b.c. Although the Epicureans saw the aim of life as pleasure, they were not strictly hedonists, because they defined pleasure as the absence of pain. Along with this, they desired the avoidance of trouble and freedom from annoyances. They saw organized religion as evil, especially the belief that the gods punished evildoers in an afterlife. In keeping with this, they were unable to accept Paul’s teaching about the resurrection.

[17:18]  ³⁰ sn A Stoic was a follower of the philosophy founded by Zeno (342-270 b.c.), a Phoenician who came to Athens and modified the philosophical system of the Cynics he found there. The Stoics rejected the Epicurean ideal of pleasure, stressing virtue instead. The Stoics emphasized responsibility for voluntary actions and believed risks were worth taking, but thought the actual attainment of virtue was difficult. They also believed in providence.

[17:18]  ³¹ tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβάλλω 1 has “converse, confer” here.

[17:18]  ³² tn Grk “saying.”

[17:18]  ³³ tn Or “ignorant show-off.” The traditional English translation of σπερμολόγος (spermologo") is given in L&N 33.381 as “foolish babbler.” However, an alternate view is presented in L&N 27.19, “(a figurative extension of meaning of a term based on the practice of birds in picking up seeds) one who acquires bits and pieces of relatively extraneous information and proceeds to pass them off with pretense and show – ‘ignorant show-off, charlatan.’” A similar view is given in BDAG 937 s.v. σπερμολόγος: “in pejorative imagery of persons whose communication lacks sophistication and seems to pick up scraps of information here and there scrapmonger, scavenger…Engl. synonyms include ‘gossip’, ‘babbler’, chatterer’; but these terms miss the imagery of unsystematic gathering.”

[17:18]  ³⁴ tn The meaning of this phrase is not clear. Literally it reads “strange deities” (see BDAG 210 s.v. δαιμόνιον 1). The note of not being customary is important. In the ancient world what was new was suspicious. The plural δαιμονίων (daimoniwn, “deities”) shows the audience grappling with Paul’s teaching that God was working through Jesus.

[17:18]  ³⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[21:26]  ³⁶ tn BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 11.b.β has “temporal, to be next, immediately following…τῇ ἐχομένῃ…on the next day Lk 13:33…Ac 20:15; w. ἡμέρᾳ added…21:26.”

[21:26]  ³⁷ tn That is, after he had undergone ritual cleansing. The aorist passive participle ἁγνισθείς (Jagnisqei") has been taken temporally of antecedent action.

[21:26]  ³⁸ tn Grk “entered the temple, giving notice.” The participle διαγγέλλων (diangellwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[21:26]  ³⁹ sn The days of purification refers to the days of ritual cleansing.

[21:26]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “until” (BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.β.א), but since in English it is somewhat awkward to say “the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice would be offered,” the temporal clause was translated “when the sacrifice would be offered.” The point is that the sacrifice would be offered when the days were completed. Paul honored the request of the Jewish Christian leadership completely. As the following verse makes clear, the vow was made for seven days.

[21:26]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “for each one.”

[25:24]  ⁴³ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:24]  ⁴⁴ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[25:24]  ⁴⁵ tn Probably best understood as rhetorical hyperbole. BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ states, “people, populace, population…τὸ πλῆθος the populace…ἅπαν τὸ πλ. τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων Ac 25:24.” However, the actions of the leadership are seen by Luke as representing the actions of the entire nation, so the remark is not inaccurate.

[25:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “appealed to” (BDAG 341 s.v. ἐντυγχάνω 1.a).

[25:24]  ⁴⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[25:24]  ⁴⁸ sn Here means “here in Caesarea.”

[25:24]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “screaming.”

[28:23]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “Having set.” The participle ταξάμενοι (taxamenoi) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[28:23]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “Having set a day with him”; the words “to meet” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[28:23]  ⁵² tn Or “came to him in his rented quarters.”

[28:23]  ⁵³ tn BDAG 848 s.v. πολύς 1.b.β.ב states, “(even) more πλείονες in even greater numbers Ac 28:23.”

[28:23]  ⁵⁴ tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[28:23]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “to whom he explained.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative pronoun (“whom”) has been replaced by the pronoun (“them”) and a new sentence begun at this point in the translation.

[28:23]  ⁵⁶ tn BDAG 233 s.v. διαμαρτύρομαι 1 has “to make a solemn declaration about the truth of someth. testify of, bear witness to (orig. under oath)…God’s kingdom 28:23.”

[28:23]  ⁵⁷ sn Testifying about the kingdom of God. The topic is important. Paul’s preaching was about the rule of God and his promise in Jesus. Paul’s text was the Jewish scriptures.

[28:23]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “persuade.”