Acts 7:51

7:51 “You stubborn ¹  people, with uncircumcised ²  hearts and ears! ³  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors ⁴  did!

Acts 13:45-46

13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ⁵  and they began to contradict ⁶  what Paul was saying ⁷  by reviling him. ⁸  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ⁹  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ¹⁰  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ¹¹  of eternal life, we ¹²  are turning to the Gentiles. ¹³ 

Acts 18:6

18:6 When they opposed him ¹⁴  and reviled him, ¹⁵  he protested by shaking out his clothes ¹⁶  and said to them, “Your blood ¹⁷  be on your own heads! I am guiltless! ¹⁸  From now on I will go to the Gentiles!”

Acts 18:2

18:2 There he ¹⁹  found ²⁰  a Jew named Aquila, ²¹  a native of Pontus, ²²  who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius ²³  had ordered all the Jews to depart from ²⁴  Rome. ²⁵  Paul approached ²⁶  them,

Acts 17:14

17:14 Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast ²⁷  at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. ²⁸ 

Acts 17:2

17:2 Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, ²⁹  as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed ³⁰  them from the scriptures,

Acts 1:8

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts ³¹  of the earth.”

Acts 1:16

1:16 “Brothers, ³²  the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through ³³  David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus –

Nehemiah 9:16-17

9:16 “But they – our ancestors ³⁴  – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled ³⁵  and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. ³⁶  But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. ³⁷  You did not abandon them,

Nehemiah 9:29

9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, ³⁸  will live. They boldly turned from you; ³⁹  they rebelled ⁴⁰  and did not obey.

Psalms 95:8

95:8 He says, ⁴¹  “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, ⁴² 

like they were that day at Massah ⁴³  in the wilderness, ⁴⁴ 

Isaiah 8:14

8:14 He will become a sanctuary, ⁴⁵ 

but a stone that makes a person trip,

and a rock that makes one stumble –

to the two houses of Israel. ⁴⁶ 

He will become ⁴⁷  a trap and a snare

to the residents of Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ 

Jeremiah 7:26

7:26 But your ancestors ⁴⁹  did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate ⁵⁰  and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”

Jeremiah 19:15

19:15 “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all ⁵¹  says, ‘I will soon bring on this city and all the towns surrounding it ⁵²  all the disaster I threatened to do to it. I will do so because they have stubbornly refused ⁵³  to pay any attention to what I have said!’”

John 12:40

12:40 “He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their heart, ⁵⁴ 

so that they would not see with their eyes

and understand with their heart, ⁵⁵ 

and turn to me, ⁵⁶  and I would heal them.” ⁵⁷ 

Romans 9:18

9:18 So then, ⁵⁸  God ⁵⁹  has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. ⁶⁰ 

Romans 11:7

11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The ⁶¹  rest were hardened,

Hebrews 3:13

3:13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception.

[7:51]  ¹ sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

[7:51]  ² tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

[7:51]  ³ tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

[7:51]  ⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[13:45]  ⁵ sn They were filled with jealousy. Their foolish response to the gospel is noted again (see Acts 5:17). The same verb is used in Acts 7:9; 17:5.

[13:45]  ⁶ tn The imperfect verb ἀντέλεγον (antelegon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect in the logical sequence of events: After they were filled with jealousy, the Jewish opponents began to contradict what Paul said.

[13:45]  ⁷ tn Grk “the things being said by Paul.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:45]  ⁸ tn The participle βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") has been regarded as indicating the means of the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as a finite verb (“and reviled him”) in keeping with contemporary English style. 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 18:6. 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). The modern term “slandering” comes close to what was being done to Paul here.

[13:46]  ⁹ tn Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24-30; 9:27-28.

[13:46]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:46]  ¹¹ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ¹² tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ¹³ sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.

[18:6]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ tn Or “innocent.” BDAG 489 s.v. καθαρός 3.a has “guiltless Ac 18:6.”

[18:2]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “And he.” 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 word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[18:2]  ²⁰ tn Grk “finding.” The participle εὑρών (Jeurwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[18:2]  ²¹ sn On Aquila and his wife Priscilla see also Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. This author uses the full name Priscilla, while Paul uses the diminutive form Prisca.

[18:2]  ²² sn Pontus was a region in the northeastern part of Asia Minor. It was a Roman province.

[18:2]  ²³ sn Claudius refers to the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, known as Claudius, who ruled from a.d. 41-54. The edict expelling the Jews from Rome was issued in a.d. 49 (Suetonius, Claudius 25.4).

[18:2]  ²⁴ tn Or “to leave.”

[18:2]  ²⁵ map For location see JP4 A1.

[18:2]  ²⁶ tn Or “went to.”

[17:14]  ²⁷ tn Grk “to the sea.” Here ἕως ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ({ew" epi thn qalassan) must mean “to the edge of the sea,” that is, “to the coast.” Since there is no mention of Paul taking a ship to Athens, he presumably traveled overland. The journey would have been about 340 mi (550 km).

[17:14]  ²⁸ tn Grk “remained there”; the referent (Berea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ²⁹ tn Grk “he went in to them”; the referent (the Jews in the synagogue) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:2]  ³⁰ tn Although the word διελέξατο (dielexato; from διαλέγομαι, dialegomai) is frequently translated “reasoned,” “disputed,” or “argued,” this sense comes from its classical meaning where it was used of philosophical disputation, including the Socratic method of questions and answers. However, there does not seem to be contextual evidence for this kind of debate in Acts 17:2. As G. Schrenk (TDNT 2:94-95) points out, “What is at issue is the address which any qualified member of a synagogue might give.” Other examples of this may be found in the NT in Matt 4:23 and Mark 1:21.

[1:8]  ³¹ tn Or “to the ends.”

[1:16]  ³² tn Grk “Men brothers.” In light of the compound phrase ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (andre" adelfoi, “Men brothers”) Peter’s words are best understood as directly addressed to the males present, possibly referring specifically to the twelve (really ten at this point – eleven minus the speaker, Peter) mentioned by name in v. 13.

[1:16]  ³³ tn Grk “foretold by the mouth of.”

[9:16]  ³⁴ tn Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.

[9:16]  ³⁵ tn Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).

[9:17]  ³⁶ tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX in reading בְּמִצְרָיִם (bÿmitsrayim, “in Egypt”; so also NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT) rather than the MT reading בְּמִרְיָם (bÿmiryam, “in their rebellion”).

[9:17]  ³⁷ tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.

[9:29]  ³⁸ tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.

[9:29]  ³⁹ tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”

[9:29]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”

[95:8]  ⁴¹ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the following words are spoken by the Lord (see vv. 9-11).

[95:8]  ⁴² sn The name Meribah means “strife.” Two separate but similar incidents at Meribah are recorded in the Pentateuch (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13, see also Pss 81:7; 106:32). In both cases the Israelites complained about lack of water and the Lord miraculously provided for them.

[95:8]  ⁴³ sn The name Massah means “testing.” This was another name (along with Meribah) given to the place where Israel complained following the Red Sea Crossing (see Exod 17:1-7, as well as Deut 6:16; 9:22; 33:8).

[95:8]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “do not harden your heart[s] as [at] Meribah, as [in] the day of Massah in the wilderness.”

[8:14]  ⁴⁵ tn Because the metaphor of protection (“sanctuary”) does not fit the negative mood that follows in vv. 14b-15, some contend that מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash, “sanctuary”) is probably a corruption of an original מוֹקֵשׁ (moqesh, “snare”), a word that appears in the next line (cf. NAB and H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:355-56). If the MT reading is retained (as in the above translation), the fact that Yahweh is a sanctuary wraps up the point of v. 13 and stands in contrast to God’s treatment of those who rebel against him (the rest of v. 14).

[8:14]  ⁴⁶ sn The two “houses” of Israel (= the patriarch Jacob) are the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

[8:14]  ⁴⁷ tn These words are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. וְהָיָה (vÿhayah, “and he will be”) does double duty in the parallel structure of the verse.

[8:14]  ⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:26]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “But your predecessors…”; Heb “But they….” There is a confusing interchange in the pronouns in vv. 25-26 which has led to some leveling in the ancient versions and the modern English versions. What is involved here are four levels of referents, the “you” of the present generation (vv. 21-22a), the ancestors who were delivered from Egypt (i.e., the “they” of vv. 22b-24), the “you” of v. 25 which involves all the Israelites from the Exodus to the time of speaking, and the “they” of v. 26 which cannot be the ancestors of vv. 22-24 (since they cannot be more wicked than themselves) but must be an indefinite entity which is a part of the “you” of v. 25, i.e., the more immediate ancestors of the present generation. If this is kept in mind, there is no need to level the pronouns to “they” and “them” or to “you” and “your” as some of the ancient versions and modern English versions have done.

[7:26]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “hardened [or made stiff] their neck.”

[19:15]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “Yahweh of armies, the God of Israel.”

[19:15]  ⁵² tn Heb “all its towns.”

[19:15]  ⁵³ tn Heb “They hardened [or made stiff] their neck so as not to.”

[12:40]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “closed their mind.”

[12:40]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “their mind.”

[12:40]  ⁵⁶ tn One could also translate στραφῶσιν (strafwsin) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:40]  ⁵⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 6:10.

[9:18]  ⁵⁸ sn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.

[9:18]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:18]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.”

[11:7]  ⁶¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.