Job 5:12-13

5:12 He frustrates ¹  the plans ²  of the crafty ³ 

so that ⁴  their hands cannot accomplish

what they had planned! ⁵ 

5:13 He catches ⁶  the wise in their own craftiness, ⁷ 

and the counsel of the cunning ⁸  is brought to a quick end. ⁹ 

Acts 8:9-12

8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic ¹⁰  and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, ¹¹  from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ¹²  8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God ¹³  and the name of Jesus Christ, ¹⁴  they began to be baptized, ¹⁵  both men and women.

Acts 13:8-12

13:8 But the magician Elymas ¹⁶  (for that is the way his name is translated) ¹⁷  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ¹⁸  away from the faith. 13:9 But Saul (also known as Paul), ¹⁹  filled with the Holy Spirit, ²⁰  stared straight ²¹  at him 13:10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, ²²  you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ²³  13:11 Now ²⁴  look, the hand of the Lord is against ²⁵  you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistiness ²⁶  and darkness came over ²⁷  him, and he went around seeking people ²⁸  to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then when the proconsul ²⁹  saw what had happened, he believed, ³⁰  because he was greatly astounded ³¹  at the teaching about ³²  the Lord.

Acts 13:2

13:2 While they were serving ³³  the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart ³⁴  for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 2:8

2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ³⁵  in our own native language? ³⁶ 

Acts 2:2

2:2 Suddenly ³⁷  a sound ³⁸  like a violent wind blowing ³⁹  came from heaven ⁴⁰  and filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Acts 3:8-9

3:8 He ⁴¹  jumped up, ⁴²  stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts ⁴³  with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 3:9 All ⁴⁴  the people saw him walking and praising God,

[5:12]  ¹ tn The Hiphil form מֵפֵר (mefer) is the participle from פָּרַר (parar, “to annul; to frustrate; to break”). It continues the doxological descriptions of God; but because of the numerous verses in this section, it may be clearer to start a new sentence with this form (rather than translating it “who…”).

[5:12]  ² tn The word is related to the verb “to think; to plan; to devise,” and so can mean “thoughts; plans; imagination.” Here it refers to the plan of the crafty that must be frustrated (see also Isa 44:25 for the contrast).

[5:12]  ³ tn The word עֲרוּמִים (’arumim) means “crafty” or “shrewd.” It describes the shrewdness of some to achieve their ends (see Gen 3:1, where the serpent is more cunning than all the creatures, that is, he knows where the dangers are and will attempt to bring down the innocent). In the next verse it describes the clever plans of the wise – those who are wise in their own sight.

[5:12]  ⁴ tn The consecutive clause showing result or purpose is simply introduced with the vav and the imperfect/jussive (see GKC 504-5 §166.a).

[5:12]  ⁵ tn The word תּוּשִׁיָּה (tushiyyah) is a technical word from wisdom literature. It has either the idea of the faculty of foresight, or of prudence in general (see 12:6; 26:3). It can be parallel in the texts to “wisdom,” “counsel,” “help,” or “strength.” Here it refers to what has been planned ahead of time.

[5:13]  ⁶ tn The participles continue the description of God. Here he captures or ensnares the wise in their wickedly clever plans. See also Ps 7:16, where the wicked are caught in the pit they have dug – they are only wise in their own eyes.

[5:13]  ⁷ sn This is the only quotation from the Book of Job in the NT (although Rom 11:35 seems to reflect 41:11, and Phil 1:19 is similar to 13:6). Paul cites it in 1 Cor 3:19.

[5:13]  ⁸ tn The etymology of נִפְתָּלִים (niftalim) suggests a meaning of “twisted” (see Prov 8:8) in the sense of tortuous. See Gen 30:8; Ps 18:26 [27].

[5:13]  ⁹ tn The Niphal of מָהַר (mahar) means “to be hasty; to be irresponsible.” The meaning in the line may be understood in this sense: The counsel of the wily is hastened, that is, precipitated before it is ripe, i.e., frustrated (A. B. Davidson, Job, 39).

[8:9]  ¹⁰ tn On the idiom προϋπῆρχεν μαγεύων (prouphrcen mageuwn) meaning “had been practicing magic” see BDAG 889 s.v. προϋπάρχω.

[8:10]  ¹¹ tn Grk “all of them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:10]  ¹² tn Or “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” The translation “what is called the Great Power of God” is given by BDAG 263 s.v. δύναμις 5, but the repetition of the article before καλουμένη μεγάλη (kaloumenh megalh) suggests the translation “the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”

[8:12]  ¹³ sn The kingdom of God is also what Jesus preached: Acts 1:3. The term reappears in 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31.

[8:12]  ¹⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[8:12]  ¹⁵ tn The imperfect verb ἐβαπτίζοντο (ebaptizonto) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.

[13:8]  ¹⁶ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ¹⁷ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ¹⁸ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:9]  ¹⁹ sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:9]  ²⁰ sn This qualifying clause in the narrative indicates who represented God in the dispute.

[13:9]  ²¹ tn Or “gazed intently.”

[13:10]  ²² tn Or “unscrupulousness.”

[13:10]  ²³ sn “You who…paths of the Lord?” This rebuke is like ones from the OT prophets: Jer 5:27; Gen 32:11; Prov 10:7; Hos 14:9. Five separate remarks indicate the magician’s failings. The closing rhetorical question of v. 10 (“will you not stop…?”) shows how opposed he is to the way of God.

[13:11]  ²⁴ tn Grk “And now.” 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.

[13:11]  ²⁵ tn Grk “upon,” but in a negative sense.

[13:11]  ²⁶ sn The term translated mistiness here appears in the writings of the physician Galen as a medical technical description of a person who is blind. The picture of judgment to darkness is symbolic as well. Whatever power Elymas had, it represented darkness. Magic will again be an issue in Acts 19:18-19. This judgment is like that of Ananias and his wife in Acts 5:1-11.

[13:11]  ²⁷ tn Grk “fell on.”

[13:11]  ²⁸ tn The noun χειραγωγός (ceiragwgo") is plural, so “people” is used rather than singular “someone.”

[13:12]  ²⁹ sn See the note on proconsul in v. 8.

[13:12]  ³⁰ sn He believed. The faith of the proconsul in the face of Jewish opposition is a theme of the rest of Acts. Paul has indeed become “a light to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:47).

[13:12]  ³¹ tn The translation “greatly astounded” for ἐκπλησσόμενος (ekplhssomeno") is given by L&N 25.219.

[13:12]  ³² tn Grk “of,” but this could give the impression the Lord himself had done the teaching (a subjective genitive) when actually the Lord was the object of the teaching (an objective genitive).

[13:2]  ³³ tn This term is frequently used in the LXX of the service performed by priests and Levites in the tabernacle (Exod 28:35, 43; 29:30; 30:20; 35:19; 39:26; Num 1:50; 3:6, 31) and the temple (2 Chr 31:2; 35:3; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17, and many more examples). According to BDAG 591 s.v. λειτουργέω 1.b it is used “of other expression of religious devotion.” Since the previous verse described the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, it is probable that the term here describes two of them (Barnabas and Saul) as they were serving in that capacity. Since they were not in Jerusalem where the temple was located, general religious service is referred to here.

[13:2]  ³⁴ tn Or “Appoint.”

[2:8]  ³⁵ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ³⁶ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”

[2:2]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.

[2:2]  ³⁸ tn Or “a noise.”

[2:2]  ³⁹ tn While φέρω (ferw) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (feromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoh).

[2:2]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.

[3:8]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “And he.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[3:8]  ⁴² tn Grk “Jumping up, he stood.” The participle ἐξαλλόμενος (exallomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. It is possible that the paralyzed man actually jumped off the ground, but more probably this term simply refers to the speed with which he stood up. See L&N 15.240.

[3:8]  ⁴³ tn Grk “the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.

[3:9]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “And all.” 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.