Exodus 12:48-49

12:48 “When a foreigner lives ¹  with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, ²  and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land ³  – but no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 12:49 The same law will apply ⁴  to the person who is native-born and to the foreigner who lives among you.”

Ruth 1:16

1:16 But Ruth replied,

“Stop urging me to abandon you! ⁵ 

For wherever you go, I will go.

Wherever you live, I will live.

Your people will become my people,

and your God will become my God.

Ruth 2:11-12

2:11 Boaz replied to her, ⁶  “I have been given a full report of ⁷  all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband – how you left ⁸  your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. ⁹  2:12 May the Lord reward your efforts! ¹⁰  May your acts of kindness be repaid fully ¹¹  by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!” ¹² 

Ruth 2:1

Ruth Works in the Field of Boaz

2:1 Now Naomi ¹³  had a relative ¹⁴  on her husband’s side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. ¹⁵ 

Ruth 1:1

A Family Tragedy: Famine and Death

1:1 During the time of the judges ¹⁶  there was a famine in the land of Judah. ¹⁷  So a man from Bethlehem ¹⁸  in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner ¹⁹  in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. ²⁰ 

Ruth 1:1-2

A Family Tragedy: Famine and Death

1:1 During the time of the judges ²¹  there was a famine in the land of Judah. ²²  So a man from Bethlehem ²³  in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner ²⁴  in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. ²⁵  1:2 (Now the man’s name was Elimelech, ²⁶  his wife was Naomi, ²⁷  and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. ²⁸  They were of the clan of Ephrath ²⁹  from Bethlehem in Judah.) They entered the region of Moab and settled there. ³⁰ 

Isaiah 56:3-7

56:3 No foreigner who becomes a follower of ³¹  the Lord should say,

‘The Lord will certainly ³²  exclude me from his people.’

The eunuch should not say,

‘Look, I am like a dried-up tree.’”

56:4 For this is what the Lord says:

“For the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths

and choose what pleases me

and are faithful to ³³  my covenant,

56:5 I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument ³⁴ 

that will be better than sons and daughters.

I will set up a permanent monument ³⁵  for them that will remain.

56:6 As for foreigners who become followers of ³⁶  the Lord and serve him,

who love the name of the Lord and want to be his servants –

all who observe the Sabbath and do not defile it,

and who are faithful to ³⁷  my covenant –

56:7 I will bring them to my holy mountain;

I will make them happy in the temple where people pray to me. ³⁸ 

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar,

for my temple will be known as a temple where all nations may pray.” ³⁹ 

Matthew 2:1

The Visit of the Wise Men

2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem ⁴⁰  in Judea, in the time ⁴¹  of King Herod, ⁴²  wise men ⁴³  from the East came to Jerusalem ⁴⁴ 

Matthew 8:10-11

8:10 When ⁴⁵  Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “I tell you the truth, ⁴⁶  I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! 8:11 I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet ⁴⁷  with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ⁴⁸  in the kingdom of heaven,

John 10:16

10:16 I have ⁴⁹  other sheep that do not come from ⁵⁰  this sheepfold. ⁵¹  I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, ⁵²  so that ⁵³  there will be one flock and ⁵⁴  one shepherd.

John 12:20

Seekers

12:20 Now some Greeks ⁵⁵  were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast.

Acts 8:27-39

8:27 So ⁵⁶  he got up ⁵⁷  and went. There ⁵⁸  he met ⁵⁹  an Ethiopian eunuch, ⁶⁰  a court official of Candace, ⁶¹  queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He ⁶²  had come to Jerusalem to worship, ⁶³  8:28 and was returning home, sitting ⁶⁴  in his chariot, reading ⁶⁵  the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up ⁶⁶  to it ⁶⁷  and heard the man ⁶⁸  reading Isaiah the prophet. He ⁶⁹  asked him, ⁷⁰  “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man ⁷¹  replied, “How in the world can I, ⁷²  unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man ⁷³  was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did ⁷⁴  not open his mouth.

8:33 In humiliation ⁷⁵  justice was taken from him. ⁷⁶ 

Who can describe his posterity? ⁷⁷ 

For his life was taken away ⁷⁸  from the earth.” ⁷⁹ 

8:34 Then the eunuch said ⁸⁰  to Philip, “Please tell me, ⁸¹  who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” ⁸²  8:35 So Philip started speaking, ⁸³  and beginning with this scripture ⁸⁴  proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me ⁸⁵  from being baptized?” 8:37 [[EMPTY]] ⁸⁶  8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, ⁸⁷  and Philip baptized ⁸⁸  him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but ⁸⁹  went on his way rejoicing. ⁹⁰ 

Acts 10:1-4

Peter Visits Cornelius

10:1 Now there was a man in Caesarea ⁹¹  named Cornelius, a centurion ⁹²  of what was known as the Italian Cohort. ⁹³  10:2 He ⁹⁴  was a devout, God-fearing man, ⁹⁵  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ⁹⁶  and prayed to God regularly. 10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ⁹⁷  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ⁹⁸  who came in ⁹⁹  and said to him, “Cornelius.” 10:4 Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius ¹⁰⁰  replied, ¹⁰¹  “What is it, Lord?” The angel ¹⁰²  said to him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity ¹⁰³  have gone up as a memorial ¹⁰⁴  before God.

Ephesians 2:12-13

2:12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, ¹⁰⁵  alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, ¹⁰⁶  having no hope and without God in the world. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁰⁷ 

[12:48]  ¹ tn Both the participle “foreigner” and the verb “lives” are from the verb גּוּר (gur), which means “to sojourn, to dwell as an alien.” This reference is to a foreigner who settles in the land. He is the protected foreigner; when he comes to another area where he does not have his clan to protect him, he must come under the protection of the Law, or the people. If the “resident alien” is circumcised, he may participate in the Passover (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 104).

[12:48]  ² tn The infinitive absolute functions as the finite verb here, and “every male” could be either the object or the subject (see GKC 347 §113.gg and 387 §121.a).

[12:48]  ³ tn אֶזְרָח (’ezrakh) refers to the native-born individual, the native Israelite as opposed to the “stranger, alien” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 104); see also W. F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, 127, 210.

[12:49]  ⁴ tn Heb “one law will be to.”

[1:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “do not urge me to abandon you to turn back from after you.” Most English versions, following the lead of the KJV, use “leave” here. The use of עזב (“abandon”) reflects Ruth’s perspective. To return to Moab would be to abandon Naomi and to leave her even more vulnerable than she already is.

[2:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “answered and said to her” (so NASB). For stylistic reasons this has been translated as “replied to her.”

[2:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “it has been fully reported to me.” The infinitive absolute here emphasizes the following finite verb from the same root. Here it emphasizes either the clarity of the report or its completeness. See R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth (NICOT), 153, n. 6. Most English versions tend toward the nuance of completeness (e.g., KJV “fully been shewed”; NAB “a complete account”; NASB, NRSV “All that you have done”).

[2:11]  ⁸ tn The vav (ו) consecutive construction here has a specifying function. This and the following clause elaborate on the preceding general statement and explain more specifically what she did for her mother-in-law.

[2:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “yesterday and the third day.” This Hebrew idiom means “previously, in the past” (Exod 5:7,8,14; Exod 21:29,36; Deut 4:42; 19:4,6; Josh 3:4; 1 Sam 21:5; 2 Sam 3:17; 1 Chr 11:2).

[2:12]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “repay your work”; KJV, ASV “recompense thy work.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer (note the jussive form in the next clause).

[2:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “may your wages be complete”; NCV “May your wages be paid in full.” The prefixed verbal form is a distinct jussive form, indicating that this is a prayer for blessing.

[2:12]  ¹² tn Heb “under whose wings you have sought shelter”; NIV, NLT “have come to take refuge.”

[2:1]  ¹³ tn The disjunctive clause (note the vav [ו] + prepositional phrase structure) provides background information essential to the following narrative.

[2:1]  ¹⁴ tc The marginal reading (Qere) is מוֹדַע (moda’, “relative”), while the consonantal text (Kethib) has מְיֻדָּע (miyudda’, “friend”). The textual variant was probably caused by orthographic confusion between consonantal מְיֻדָּע and מוֹדַע. Virtually all English versions follow the marginal reading (Qere), e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV “kinsman”; NIV, NCV, NLT “relative.”

[2:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and [there was] to Naomi a relative, to her husband, a man mighty in substance, from the clan of Elimelech, and his name [was] Boaz.”

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “in the days of the judging of the judges.” The LXX simply reads “when the judges judged,” and Syriac has “in the days of the judges.” Cf. NASB “in the days when the judges governed (ruled NRSV).”

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “in the land.” The phrase “of Judah” is supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ sn The name Bethlehem (בֵּית לֶחֶם, bet lekhem) is from “house, place” (בֵּית) and “bread, food” (לֶחֶם), so the name literally means “House of Bread” or “Place of Food.” Perhaps there is irony here: One would not expect a severe famine in such a location. This would not necessarily indicate that Bethlehem was under divine discipline, but merely that the famine was very severe, explaining the reason for the family’s departure.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Or “to live temporarily.” The verb גּוּר (gur, “sojourn”) may refer to (1) temporary dwelling in a location (Deut 18:6; Judg 17:7) or (2) permanent dwelling in a location (Judg 5:17; Ps 33:8). When used of a foreign land, it can refer to (1) temporary dwelling as a visiting foreigner (Gen 12:10; 20:1; 21:34; 2 Kgs 8:1-2; Jer 44:14) or (2) permanent dwelling as a resident foreigner (Gen 47:4; Exod 6:4; Num 15:14; Deut 26:5; 2 Sam 4:3; Jer 49:18,33; 50:40; Ezek 47:22-23). Although Naomi eventually returned to Judah, there is some ambiguity whether or not Elimelech intended the move to make them permanent resident foreigners. Cf. NASB “to sojourn” and NIV “to live for a while,” both of which imply the move was temporary, while “to live” (NCV, NRSV, NLT) is more neutral about the permanence of the relocation.

[1:1]  ²⁰ tn Heb “he and his wife and his two sons.” The LXX omits “two.”

[1:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “in the days of the judging of the judges.” The LXX simply reads “when the judges judged,” and Syriac has “in the days of the judges.” Cf. NASB “in the days when the judges governed (ruled NRSV).”

[1:1]  ²² tn Heb “in the land.” The phrase “of Judah” is supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.

[1:1]  ²³ sn The name Bethlehem (בֵּית לֶחֶם, bet lekhem) is from “house, place” (בֵּית) and “bread, food” (לֶחֶם), so the name literally means “House of Bread” or “Place of Food.” Perhaps there is irony here: One would not expect a severe famine in such a location. This would not necessarily indicate that Bethlehem was under divine discipline, but merely that the famine was very severe, explaining the reason for the family’s departure.

[1:1]  ²⁴ tn Or “to live temporarily.” The verb גּוּר (gur, “sojourn”) may refer to (1) temporary dwelling in a location (Deut 18:6; Judg 17:7) or (2) permanent dwelling in a location (Judg 5:17; Ps 33:8). When used of a foreign land, it can refer to (1) temporary dwelling as a visiting foreigner (Gen 12:10; 20:1; 21:34; 2 Kgs 8:1-2; Jer 44:14) or (2) permanent dwelling as a resident foreigner (Gen 47:4; Exod 6:4; Num 15:14; Deut 26:5; 2 Sam 4:3; Jer 49:18,33; 50:40; Ezek 47:22-23). Although Naomi eventually returned to Judah, there is some ambiguity whether or not Elimelech intended the move to make them permanent resident foreigners. Cf. NASB “to sojourn” and NIV “to live for a while,” both of which imply the move was temporary, while “to live” (NCV, NRSV, NLT) is more neutral about the permanence of the relocation.

[1:1]  ²⁵ tn Heb “he and his wife and his two sons.” The LXX omits “two.”

[1:2]  ²⁶ sn The name “Elimelech” literally means “My God [is] king.” The narrator’s explicit identification of his name seems to cast him in a positive light.

[1:2]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and the name of his wife [was] Naomi.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:2]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and the name[s] of his two sons [were] Mahlon and Kilion.”

[1:2]  ²⁹ tn Heb “[They were] Ephrathites.” Ephrathah is a small village (Ps 132:6) in the vicinity of Bethlehem (Gen 35:16), so close in proximity that it is often identified with the larger town of Bethlehem (Gen 35:19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11; Mic 5:2 [MT 5:1]; HALOT 81 s.v. אֶפְרָתָה); see F. W. Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC), 64. The designation “Ephrathites” might indicate that they were residents of Ephrathah. However, the adjectival form אֶפְרָתִים (ephratim, “Ephrathites”) used here elsewhere refers to someone from the clan of Ephrath (cf. 1 Chr 4:4) which lived in the region of Bethlehem: “Now David was the son of an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah whose name was Jesse” (1 Sam 17:12; cf. Mic 5:2 [MT 5:1]). So it is more likely that the virtually identical expression here – “Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah” – refers to the clan of Ephrath in Bethlehem (see R. L. Hubbard, Jr., Ruth [NICOT], 91).

[1:2]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and were there”; KJV “continued there”; NRSV “remained there”; TEV “were living there.”

[56:3]  ³¹ tn Heb “who attaches himself to.”

[56:3]  ³² tn The infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.

[56:4]  ³³ tn Heb “and take hold of” (so KJV); NASB “hold fast.”

[56:5]  ³⁴ tn Heb “a hand and a name.” For other examples where יָד (yad) refers to a monument, see HALOT 388 s.v.

[56:5]  ³⁵ tn Heb “name” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[56:6]  ³⁶ tn Heb “who attach themselves to.”

[56:6]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and take hold of”; NAB “hold to”; NIV, NRSV “hold fast.”

[56:7]  ³⁸ tn Heb “in the house of my prayer.”

[56:7]  ³⁹ tn Heb “for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

[2:1]  ⁴⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[2:1]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “in the days.”

[2:1]  ⁴² sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.

[2:1]  ⁴³ sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).

[2:1]  ⁴⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:10]  ⁴⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:10]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[8:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “and recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. The word “banquet” has been supplied to clarify for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery. The banquet imagery is a way to describe the fellowship and celebration of being among the people of God at the end.

[8:11]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “and Isaac and Jacob,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[10:16]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “And I have.” 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.

[10:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”

[10:16]  ⁵¹ sn The statement I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold almost certainly refers to Gentiles. Jesus has sheep in the fold who are Jewish; there are other sheep which, while not of the same fold, belong to him also. This recalls the mission of the Son in 3:16-17, which was to save the world – not just the nation of Israel. Such an emphasis would be particularly appropriate to the author if he were writing to a non-Palestinian and primarily non-Jewish audience.

[10:16]  ⁵² tn Grk “they will hear my voice.”

[10:16]  ⁵³ tn Grk “voice, and.”

[10:16]  ⁵⁴ tn The word “and” is not in the Greek text, but must be supplied to conform to English style. In Greek it is an instance of asyndeton (omission of a connective), usually somewhat emphatic.

[12:20]  ⁵⁵ sn These Greeks (῞Ελληνές τινες, {ellhne" tine") who had come up to worship at the feast were probably “God-fearers” rather than proselytes in the strict sense. Had they been true proselytes, they would probably not have been referred to as Greeks any longer. Many came to worship at the major Jewish festivals without being proselytes to Judaism, for example, the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:27, who could not have been a proselyte if he were physically a eunuch.

[8:27]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “And,” but καί (kai) carries something of a resultative force in this context because what follows describes Philip’s response to the angel’s command.

[8:27]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “So getting up he went.” The aorist participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:27]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “And there.” 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.

[8:27]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “and behold.” This expression is used to portray Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian in a vivid way. In the English translation this vividness is difficult to convey; it is necessary to supply the words “he met.”

[8:27]  ⁶⁰ sn The term eunuch normally referred to a man who had been castrated, but this was not always the case (see Gen 39:1 LXX, where Potiphar is called a eunuch). Such castrated individuals were preferred as court officials in the East, although Judaism opposed the practice. The Mosaic law excluded eunuchs from Israel (Deut 23:1), although God certainly accepted them (Isa 56:3-5; Wis 3:14). This individual was a high official, since he was said to be in charge of all her treasury. He may or may not have been a eunuch physically. He appears to be the first fully Gentile convert to Christianity, since the Samaritans mentioned previously (Acts 8:4-25) were regarded as half-breeds.

[8:27]  ⁶¹ tn Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of the Ethiopians). The term Κανδάκης (Kandakh") is much more likely a title rather than a proper name (like Pharaoh, which is a title); see L&N 37.77. A few, however, still take the word to be the name of the queen (L&N 93.209). BDAG 507 s.v. Κανδάκη, treats the term as a title and lists classical usage by Strabo (Geography 17.1.54) and others.

[8:27]  ⁶² tn Grk “who was over all her treasury, who.” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “he” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.

[8:27]  ⁶³ sn Since this man had come to Jerusalem to worship, he may have been a proselyte to Judaism. This event is a precursor to Acts 10.

[8:28]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “and was sitting.” 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.

[8:28]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “and was reading.” 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.

[8:30]  ⁶⁶ tn The participle προσδραμών (prosdramwn) is regarded as attendant circumstance.

[8:30]  ⁶⁷ tn The words “to it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[8:30]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “heard him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:30]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “and he.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[8:30]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “he said”; but since what follows is a question, it is better English style to translate the introduction to the question “he asked him.”

[8:31]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:31]  ⁷² tn Grk “How am I able, unless…” The translation is based on the force of the conjunction γάρ (gar) in this context. The translation “How in the world can I?” is given in BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 1.f.

[8:32]  ⁷³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:32]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “does.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the first line of the quotation (“he was led like a sheep to slaughter”), which has an aorist passive verb normally translated as a past tense in English.

[8:33]  ⁷⁵ tc ‡ Most later mss (C E Ψ 33^vid Ï sy) read “In his humiliation,” adding αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after ταπεινώσει (tapeinwsei, “humiliation”), while the earlier and better witnesses lack the pronoun (so Ì⁷⁴ א A B 1739 pc lat). However, the LXX of Isa 53:8 also lacks the pronoun, supplying motivation for scribes to omit it here. At the same time, scribes would also be motivated to add the pronoun both for clarity’s sake (note the similar impulse that led to the addition of δέ [de] by many of the same mss at the beginning of the next line) and to give balance to the lines (the pronoun is indisputably used five other times in vv. 32-33 in quoting Isa 53). On balance, the shorter reading is preferred.

[8:33]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “justice was denied him”; Grk “his justice was taken away.”

[8:33]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “family; or “origin.” The meaning of γενεά (genea) in the quotation is uncertain; BDAG 192 s.v. γενεά 4 suggests “family history.”

[8:33]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “is taken away.” The present tense here was translated as a past tense to maintain consistency with the rest of the quotation.

[8:33]  ⁷⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 53:7-8.

[8:34]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “answered and said.” The redundant participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqei") has not been translated.

[8:34]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “I beg you,” “I ask you.”

[8:34]  ⁸² sn About himself, or about someone else? It is likely in 1st century Judaism this would have been understood as either Israel or Isaiah.

[8:35]  ⁸³ tn Grk “opening his mouth” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[8:35]  ⁸⁴ sn Beginning with this scripture. The discussion likely included many of the scriptures Acts has already noted for the reader in earlier speeches. At the least, readers of Acts would know what other scriptures might be meant.

[8:36]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “What prevents me.” The rhetorical question means, “I should get baptized, right?”

[8:37]  ⁸⁶ tc A few later mss (E 36 323 453 945 1739 1891 pc) add, with minor variations, 8:37 “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ He replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” Verse 37 is lacking in {Ì^45,74 א A B C 33 614 vg sy^p,h co}. It is clearly not a part of the original text of Acts. The variant is significant in showing how some in the early church viewed a confession of faith. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[8:38]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch.” Since this is somewhat redundant in English, it was simplified to “and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water.”

[8:38]  ⁸⁸ sn Philip baptized. Again, someone beyond the Twelve has ministered an ordinance of faith.

[8:39]  ⁸⁹ tn BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).

[8:39]  ⁹⁰ sn Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).

[10:1]  ⁹¹ sn Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]).

[10:1]  ⁹² sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.

[10:1]  ⁹³ sn A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.

[10:2]  ⁹⁴ tn In the Greek text this represents a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.

[10:2]  ⁹⁵ sn The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.

[10:2]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “gave many gifts to the poor.” This was known as “giving alms,” or acts of mercy (Sir 7:10; BDAG 315-16 s.v. ἐλεημοσύνη).

[10:3]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” 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.

[10:3]  ⁹⁹ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:4]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Cornelius) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹⁰¹ tn Grk “said,” but in response to the angel’s address, “replied” is better English style.

[10:4]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:4]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “your gifts to the needy.”

[10:4]  ¹⁰⁴ sn The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices (Ps 141:2; Sir 35:6; 50:16).

[2:12]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “without Christ.” Both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Because the context refers to ancient Israel’s messianic expectation, “Messiah” was employed in the translation at this point rather than “Christ.”

[2:12]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “covenants of the promise.”

[2:13]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”